The New Mephisto City Tournament
by negativeone
Summary: An evil head of a corporation has a hold on a city. A group of teenagers fight to live free from his control.
1. Darkness Dawns on a New Day

Chapter One: Darkness Dawns on a New Day

The sun had risen over the skyline of New Mephisto City. A city where Duel Monsters is played by child and adult alike, and Duel Disk systems are often as common as Cell Phones. It was a typical day. People walked the streets, children taking buses and trains to their schools, birds and squirrels sharing the trees... The looming presence of the Blackheart Corporation's skyscraper was nothing new to these people. It's a sight they see daily as they roam the streets and sidewalks. The shadow cast over a large portion of the city was welcome shade in the usually warm and sunny weather of New Mephisto. However, today was a sad day for the children of New Mephisto; it was the first day of school. And so begins our story...

As we begin, we look upon the life of our hero, Nick Poljacik. A boy 15 years of age, with blond hair and greenish blue eyes. He loves to play games, especially ones that involve strategy, such as Duel Monsters. Here we see him in what seems to be an endless slumber...without a single care in the world.

*BLEEEEP!!!*

-

-

-

*BLEEEEEP!!!!!*

Nick's cell phone rang as Nick was fast asleep in his bed. Finally he awoke and answered it.

"Who is this and why are you calling me so damn early in the morning!?" he said.

A familiar voice boomed back at him from his ear piece, "Dude, it's Tony, and its the first day of High School. You said to meet you outside your house... NOW HURRY UP AND GET OUT HERE!!!"

It was Antonio Nicosia, his best friend of many years. He had always been around to help him, especially to bail him out of trouble. This time he wanted to make sure the both of them would stay out of trouble.

"Alright, I'll be right out in 5 minutes. Just lemme get dressed and grab a snack or something." Nick said sleepily.

"Well, make it quick, we can't be late on our first day. Besides, you know who else is gonna be there right?"

"Yeah...I know." Nick said with a smile on his face. "Laurna is going to the same school as us."

"Yup. So if you're not out here in 5 minutes she's all mine!!" Tony exclaimed as he blushed.

Nick got out of bed and got dressed in his school uniform, and packed his backpack full of his usual needs for the day: His books, notebook, an apple in case he got hungry, his Duel Monsters Deck, and his custom-made Duel Disk. He then rushed downstairs to tell his brother he was leaving for school. He went to the kitchen to get a quick bite to eat, and called out to his brother.

"Duo!!! I'm gonna leave for school in a couple minutes...Wasn't there something you were gonna give me?"

"Yeah!" Duo yelled from his room, " Just come over here so I can give it to ya."

Nick approached his room with a banana in his hand and gently proped open his the door to see his brother on the computer, as usual. "What are you gonna give me? Hurry it up cause I'm gonna be late!"

"Here," Duo extended his hand out to Nick, holding an envelope. "It's a rare card, and some spending money for today. Auntie told me to make sure you get enough money everyday for lunch and whatever you need afterschool. Don't tell her, but I put a little bit extra in there for today. As for the rare card, I got that last night from some friends. I know you'll like it. Now get going! It's 15 minutes to eight! And make sure you're home before Auntie!! You know how she gets sometimes!!"

"Oh crap," Nick said as he took the envelope and rushed outside. "Okay, Tony, I'm ready to go!"

"Well it's about time...we'll be lucky if we're half an hour late..."

"Then quit talking and let's go!" Nick said as he took off running.

*Meanwhile*

At the Blackheart Corporation building....Inside the office of Jeff Blackheart, President of Blackheart Corporation...

"President Blackheart, are all the preparations complete?" A shadowy figure asked.

A dark, grim voice replied back. "Yes, everything is set for my announcement later today. You may go now Zane, I have some work to do."

"Thank you sir, I'll get back to work as well."

The man known as Zane Takio, exited the office. As the door closed, the President Blackheart looked at his computer screen.

"Hmmm...Perhaps the people of this city will enjoy a little friendly competition..." He said, as he reclined in his chair, pondering what the next few months in New Mephisto would be like.

---

The two boys finally arrived at school to find that they weren't late at all. The bell would not ring for another 15 minutes.

"See? I told you that shortcut would save us some time!" Tony said as he was catching his breath.

Breathing heavily, Nick replied, "Yeah, it did. But next time, I'll just make sure I wake up on time, because that's the first and last time I ever run on the train tracks! We were nearly killed!"

"That's your choice Nick, that was the most exciting thing I've ever done in my life! Now c'mon lets go find Laurna before class starts."

"YOU LOOKIN' FOR ME?!!??!?" A purple haired girl screamed as she popped up behind Nick.

It was Laurna Hope, one of the only female duelists Nick and Tony knew, as well as the girl they both have a crush on...

"WHOA! Don't sneak up on us like that Laurna...We just had a near-death experience! You could've given me a heart attack!" Nick said with a little smile on his face.

"Okay, okay, let's just get to class boys, we don't want to be late..."

*RIIIIIINGGG!!!!*

The three of them barely sat down in their seats when the bell sounded. A tall, thin man entered the room carrying a book bag and a stack of papers.

"Hello, my name is Mr. Marcus. Welcome to New Mephisto High School. I'll be your homeroom teacher this year. To tell you a little bit about myself, I'm 34 years old, I have a Bachelor's degree in Physics, I'm married, I've got 3 kids, I'm an Intercontinental Duel Monsters Champion, and I give daily homework. Any questions?"

Murmurs filled the room at the moment he mentioned he was an IC Champ. The students' hands shot up to ask for a Duel.

"Now, now, kids, we'll have plenty of time for that in due time. For now, open up your textbooks to page 12 so we can begin a lesson for today."

---

As soon as the classes were over, Nick, Antonio, and Laurna all found their friends to compare classes and see how their first days were. Nick saw one of his friends talking to Mr. Marcus about Duel Monsters.

"Well, I'd like to get to know my students better before any of them challenge me to a duel. I don't want to make anyone bitter towards me, and I don't want anyone to think they're above me because they can win against me."

"Oh c'mon just one duel! I want to try out my new deck!" said the boy.

Nick called to him, "Hey Manny! I'll duel you!"

The boy was Manny Hung, a neighbor of Nick's. He isn't a good duelist and is constantly trying to improve his deck. The amount of money he spends on cards isn't reflected in the cards he uses to duel.

"Alright, let's duel then! Prepare to lose!"

The boys then slipped on their Duel Disks, and prepared their decks. Mr. Marcus looked on with an amused look on his face. At that moment, Nick remembered the rare card his brother had given him that morning.

"Hey Manny, wait a second." Nick took the envelope out of his backpack. Slowly he opened it as he took a peek at the card. "WHOA!" exclaimed Nick as he added the card to his deck immediately. "Okay, now I'm ready," said Nick, as he inserted his deck into his Duel Disk.

"Let's begin then!"

Manny: 4000 Nick:4000

"Take the first move Nick."

"Okay, I set 3 M/T facedown, and play Goblin Attack Force in attack mode. End turn."

"Now it's my turn, and I've already got this game in the bag! I play Zombyra the Dark in attack mode and activate Tribute to the Doomed."

"I activate Imperial Order, which negates the effect of your magic card."

"Ugh, well then, I set 2 M/T facedown and end my turn."

Nick looked at the cards in his hand...Buster Blader and Lord of Dragons. He wasn't sure what to do next, so he drew his card.

"I choose to pay 700 LP for Imperial Order, and I summon Lord of Dragons in attack mode. Then I have my Goblin Attack Force attack Zombyra."

"Ha! Now you're in for it! Rush Recklessly!"

"I still have Imperial Order in Play, so I'm still stronger."

"OH NO! I forgot it was a permanent trap!" Manny hit himself on the head with the hand that wasn't holding his cards.

Manny watch as his Zombyra was clubbed and bludgeoned to pieces by Nick's Goblin Attack Force, making him lose 200 LP.

"Now Lord or Dragons attack him directly!"

Manny: 2700 Nick: 3300

The duel had drawn a crowd, including Antonio and Laurna, along with their friends. They all watched closely, especially Laurna.

"Come on Nick! I would've finished him off turns ago!" Tony taunted him.

__

"But it's only my second turn" Nick thought.

"Okay my move." I activate Dust Tornado on your Imperial Order to destroy it. I summon Thunder Nyan Nyan in attack mode and then I play Malevolent Nuzzler. I attack your Lord of Dragons."

Manny: 2700 Nick: 1800

"Heh, now who's in the lead? I end my turn."

Nick was frustrated at the last move Manny had made. He was distracted by the fact that Laurna was watching him. He drew his card, which to his amazement was the card his brother had given to him this morning.

"I play one of my facedown cards, Premature Burial, and by paying 800 LP I can bring back a monster from my grave. I choose Lord of Dragons."

Manny: 2700 Nick: 1000

"You're just wasting time before I win, Nick, just give up now..."

"Now, I sacrifice my two monsters...and summon TYRANT DRAGON!"

The people in the crowd were in awe of such a rare card, even Antonio.

"Now, I play the card in my hand, United We Stand to increase my dragon's ATK by 800 points for every monster I have on the field! Now I attack your Thunder Nyan Nyan."

Manny: 1100 Nick:1000

"Ugh...I'm gonna lose this one... I'm in the lead by 100 LP, but that won't last for long, not with that dragon on the field! I even stacked my deck with extra powerful monsters! I play one monster in defense mode and end my turn."

Nick was amazed at the power of his new card, and felt confidence surging back to him. He was going to win this duel, and show off to the whole crowd watching him. He knew this would impress Laurna.

"Manny, you've played a fair duel, and I like how you never quit despite how many times you lose. But its time to end this little game of ours...I summon Goblin Attack Force from the Graveyard with Monster Reborn, and I attack your set monster."

Manny watched again as his Zombyra was being defeated by a team of Goblins. And feared what would come next.

"Now, I send my Tyrant Dragon to attack you directly! Sorry Manny, but this one's over!"

Manny covered his eyes as the great dragon flew towards him, its neck rearing back, preparing to launch a barrage of flames....but suddenly, the dragon stopped in its tracks. Then it disappeared altogether. The holo-projectors began reconfiguring themselves, and a dark figure appeared to them. It was President Blackheart.

"Hello, duelists of New Mephisto. I am Jeff Blackheart, as you already know. I am broadcasting this message across the city to any compatible Duel Disks. I wish to announce the start of a Duel Monsters Tournament. The rules are similar to Kaiba Corporation's Battle City Tournament from a few years back. That includes the Rare Card Ante Rule. If you wish to participate, you may come to the front courtyard of Blackheart Corporation's business center to download the Tournament rules and protocols into your Duel Disk systems. It will be open from 3:30 to 4:30 PM tomorrow. Only those who attend will allowed to participate. As for the tournament itself, I must explain a few rules. You may challenge any other participant as long you are within the bounds of my tracking system. When you duel, you must duel for a Decoding Device, which will allow you to enter the finals if you collect 4 of these. They will be used to decode your password issued to you when you download the tournament data. My eliminators will also be patrolling the city to eliminate any trouble or unworthy duelists. The finals will take place in the Blackheart Spire, which was built as part of the Blackheart Corporate Plaza. The first place winner will have the honor to duel me to become a part of Blackheart Corporation, as an honorary executive. And I must say, that is a very highly paying job. You won't even have to do any work! The rest shall be explained in the download data from tomorrow's event. This message will also be a part of it. Good luck to all, and don't forget to register for the tournament tomorrow."

Everyone in the city who owned a Duel Disk saw this message. All duels in the city were stopped for this announcement. Nick, Antonio, Laurna, and the rest of them were left awestruck. They all considered themselves top-notch duelists. It was also an opportunity to improve their decks by winning their opponents' rarest cards. Also, the prospect of being paid millions of dollars for doing no work whatsoever sweetened the deal. They would have to make sure that they registered for this tournament tomorrow afternoon.

---

"Turn those damned cameras off now. The announcement is over. Now get out of my office!"

Jeff waited impatiently in his chair for the cameramen to gather their equipment and leave him. As soon as they were gone he shut the doors and closed the curtains, keeping any light from coming into the room.

"Okay, you can come out now."

A dark figure emerged from the floor, and sat on Blackheart's chair.

"I've done what you asked me, now where's your end of the deal?"

The dark figure spoke into Jeff's mind, **[IF YOU WISH FOR ME TO UPHOLD MY END OF THE BARGAIN I MUST BECOME A PART OF YOU. A PART OF YOUR MIND. A PART OF YOUR BODY. WILL YOU BE ABLE TO HANDLE THAT? IF YOU ARE THEN EXTEND YOUR HAND TO ME. I SHALL DO THE REST.]**

Jeff hesitantly extended his hand towards the dark figure. Suddenly, it pounced onto him, completely wrapping itself around his body. He screamed out in pain as so many changes happened to him at once...until the two became one...

"Ahh...much better..." Jeff said with a wicked smile on his face..."With my new self, no one will be able to stop me!! MWUAHAHAHHHAHAHA!! WHAHAAHAHAH!! AHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!"

The door cracked open to reveal Zane, Jeff's assistant, looking in on President Blackheart.

"Uhh, sir! I hate to interupt but it's time for your 4:30 appointment."

"Thank you, go prepare the helicopter, I'll be waiting outside."

And with that, Jeff stepped out of his office making sure he locked the door behind him.


	2. Duel of the Dark Ones

Chapter Two: Duel of the Dark Ones

Blackheart's helicopter approached its destination, a secret location where he was to meet his newest employee. He'd heard a lot about him, and was actually excited about meeting him. His name is Siefer "Ghost" Gambianni. Once, Siefer was a top ranked duelist in the world, but he gave that up for a life of crime and deceit. His name has a reputation among the world of criminals and duelists alike. Some knew him as a skilled assassin, some as a nearly unstoppable duelist. President Blackheart would soon know him as his new Eliminator.

The chopper landed and the engines calmed. Jeff stepped off to greet Gambianni, followed closely by Zane. An intimidating man was waiting for them. He wore all black, much like Jeff, but had long white hair, and carried a pair of hookswords on his back. So far, Jeff was impressed.

"Siefer Gambianni, I assume?"

"Yeah, that's me. You're Blackheart right?" Zane looked a bit intimidated as Siefer shot a look towards him.

"Yes, I'm Jeff Blackheart, President of Blackheart Corporation. Your future employer. However, I wish to test your abilities first. Let's have a duel. Right now. Zane, get my Duel Disk."

"Yes sir, I'll be right back with it." Zane quickly ran back to the helicopter and took out a suitcase. He opened it to reveal Jeff's personal Duel Disk, which looked more like a monstrous instrument of torture than a Duel Disk. It was similar to a standard Duel Disk, except for Jeff's own personal modifications, including the Blackheart Family Crest.

Jeff slipped it onto his arm, then inserted his deck. "Are you ready to begin?"

"Whenever you are. You can go first."

Siefer: 4000 Blackheart: 4000

"Alright," Blackheart said as he drew his opening hand. "I'll set a monster in defense mode and end my turn."

"That's all? I'm not very impressed Blackheart." Siefer taunted him, just as he did to all his opponents.

"Watch your mouth, Siefer, you may not have any idea what nasty surprises await you in this duel." Jeff shot back.

"Right now it seems like you're all talk! I summon Blood Vors in attack mode, and I attack your set monster!"

"You attacked my Executioner Makyura, destroying it. What a shame..."

"That's exactly what you'll be saying when you lose. Now I set 2 cards facedown."

"And I activate Time Seal. Preventing you from drawing on your next turn."

"What? But you had no cards set on the field!"

"Ah yes, but the turn my Executioner is sent to the grave, I am allowed to activate a trap from my hand!"

"Hmph," Siefer shrugged," It's no big deal, it'll already be over with the cards I have in my hand! It seems like you're not even worthy enough for me to be working for you. Maybe after you lose, you can clean my house for a living."

"Is that what you really think Siefer? Perhaps we should just play out this duel, then we will know who should be working for whom. It's my turn."

Jeff wasn't phased at all by his taunting. He had seen it all.

"Hm...I'll play Kuriboh in attack mode. I now set 2 cards facedown. See how you contend with this..."

__

"Kuriboh? What is he thinking? What's he up to? He could be bluffing me, but I don't know what to expect from this guy. He doesn't even seem to be dueling me with all he's got!"

"Remember, you cannot draw on this next turn, now make your move."

"I'm aware of that, but I can beat you right now! I play my facedown card, Curse of the Masked Beast! I sacrifice the two monsters in my hand which equal 8 stars to summon this creature of nightmares...The Masked Beast Hell Raiser!"

"Huh?! I didn't expect this!!"

"I bet you didn't. Now I equip my Hell Raiser with the card, Axe of Despair, raising its ATK by 1000! Now it has 4200 ATK. More than enough to decimate your little Kuriboh, and with my Blood Vors, I can wipe out the rest of your life points!"

"Can you really do that, Siefer?"

"Yes!! NOW MASKED BEAST ATTACK HIS KURIBOH!!"

The monster covered with horrid masks lunged towards the little fluffball, axe in hand, poised to attack...when an odd explosion occurred.

Siefer: 4000 Jeff: 4000

"What?!? Why didn't you lose any lifepoints?!"

"Well, maybe you should take a look at what card I activated. THE DECK DESTRUCTION VIRUS OF DEATH- THE CRUSH CARD!!"

"No...my monsters!!" Siefer, could barely watch as the Kuriboh burst into spores of toxic material which incapacitated his Masked Beast and Blood Vors. He was left wide open for an attack.

"Are you quite finished? I think you are, as I will activate Time Seal once again. And you only have one card on the field. I doubt that will help you."

"Make your move already, there's nothing else I can do." For the first time, Siefer felt helpless. At the same time, he was impressed at Blackheart's tactics.

"What's wrong, Siefer? Sad because you can't draw any cards from your deck? Or is it because when I let you draw, the monster will be much, much too strong, and the effects of my Virus will destory it? Well now, there's no need for anguish, your suffering will end soon. No need to worry either, as under my influence, you will become nearly unstoppable! But this duel isn't over yet. I want to toy with you a little bit...as well as show off a few more of my talents."

Jeff drew a card from his deck, while watching Siefer squirm in anxiety.

"I'll play the magic card, Pot of Greed, to draw two cards. Now, I'll summon a servant of the Dark Ruler Hades, the almighty Red Cyclops! That's not all...I'll add this magic card, Blackheart Blood Sacrifice! By discarding 2 cards from my hand, I can pay any amount of lifepoints I wish, then summon up to three monsters with an attack power less than or equal to the amount I pay from my deck or hand. I choose to pay 700 lifepoints. Now I summon 3 Hades' Familiar from my deck."

"And now I suppose that you'll use their effect and increase the Cyclops' attack power?"

"Of course. That raises my Red Cyclops' attack power to 3900! Attack now!"

"Now all I'm left with is 100 lifepoints...that's not much to hang on."

"I set one card facedown and end my turn."

Siefer: 100 Jeff: 3300

This was it. Siefer had to do something now or this duel was over. He had to fight for his reputation. Of course, it wouldn't matter if he lost, but Siefer still had his pride. He wasn't about to just give up. It wasn't his style.

"Since I can't draw, I'll have to activate my facedown card, Monster Reborn. And since nothing in my grave can survive on the field because of your virus, I choose a monster from yours. I choose Wall of Illusion, a card you discard earlier. Now if you dare attack me, your Cyclops returns to your hand, leaving you open for an attack."

"Ah, an interesting attempt at a comeback. You're right, I'd rather not attack. My Cyclops' attack power would return to its original 1800 if I do so."

"There's nothing else I can do, I end my turn."

Siefer had played into his trap perfectly. He knew that he must have saved that card in case of a dire situation. So he discarded his Wall of Illusion purposely knowing that Siefer would most likely bring it back from the grave so he had something between him and his lifepoints.

"Hmm, I draw my card, set one facedown. End."

Siefer drew a card for his turn, and glared at it. It was a card that could turn the game around for him.

"I can't do much right now, so I end my turn."

Jeff was toying with him, and they both knew it. Jeff had even admitted he didn't want to finish him off quite yet.

"You seem pretty confident in that card you hold. I think that you're waiting for the effects of my virus to wear off before you play it...But it won't matter, this duel ends when I say so. I don't attack this turn. You have one more turn remaining before my virus wears off."

As Siefer drew, Zane was quite confident in his master and that nothing could hinder Jeff in a duel unless he said so. Siefer was soon going to prove him wrong...

"I set one monster facedown. That's all."

"Afraid to play that game breaking card so soon? For you it's all ready too late! You're lucky I don't want to finish this duel yet, as this is a test of your abilities. As for my move...I remove three Fiends from the grave to summon Dark Necrofear in defense mode. Now I attack the monster you just set with my Red Cyclops."

"Ha! You attacked my leech Kiseitai! Now during all your standby phases, I will gain lifepoints equal to half your Cyclops' attack power!" 

"Hah...only a minor setback. Gain as many lifepoints as you want! I'll even add United We Stand to my Cyclops so that you can gain more lifepoints!"

"That may be a mistake...It's my turn now. I set a monster in defense. That's it."

"Okay, I draw, and now you gain 2750 lifepoints. Making your total 2850. It won't matter much. I play another facedown magic and attack your set monster with my Red Cyclops! GO ATTACK WITH SHATTERING HORN SMASH!"

"You destroyed my Melchid the Four Faced Beast. Can I take my turn now?

Siefer: 2850 Jeff: 3300

"Go ahead."

"Okay...now I set another monster and set 1 card. You can go now, although when my next turn comes, this duel is OVER!"

"Whatever you say Siefer. I draw, and you gain another 2750.

Siefer: 5600 Jeff: 3300

"I play Graceful Charity. I draw three cards, then discard two. I attack your facedown monster with Red Cyclops."

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! You attacked my Devil Franken card! Now I pay 5000 lifepoints, and summon a card from my fusion deck.....BLUE EYES ULTIMATE DRAGON!!"

"What?!?! How is this possible? All this time I thought you had played into my trap, but I into yours?! IMPOSSIBLE!!!"

"Its my move now...And I just drew the card that will ensure this game for me. I sacrifice your Wall of Illusion for Jinzo! Now I use my facedown magic card, Raigeki! THIS GAME IS OVER!!! Attack BLUE EYES ULTIMATE DRAGON! NEUTRON BLAST!!!"

Siefer: 600 Jeff:3300

"What the hell? Your life points are still intact?"

"Take another look Siefer. I discarded Kuriboh from my hand to protect me from taking damage from your Blue Eyes."

"Fine...Now I attack with Jinzo!"

"Oh, and did I say I played into your trap? What I really meant is that you're really just doing exactly what I want you to do! I discard another Kuriboh from my hand to prevent damage, once again."

"ARGGGH! Those damn fluffballs are really getting on my nerves!!"

Siefer was starting to lose his patience, and his temper. He flung one of his hookswords straight at Zane, threatening his life.

Jeff intercepted the sword, catching the steel-wrapped handle inches before the blade would pierce Zane's chest.

"Now, now, I wasn't aware that Ghosts had such violent tempers. No need to get worked up over this duel, you almost hurt Zane, one of my trusted employees..." Jeff said as he set the sword down.

"There's nothing else I can do this turn...and since I destroyed your Dark Necrofear with my Raigeki, you get to take control of one of my monsters."

"Now which one do I choose? Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon? Or Jinzo? Such a tough decision... I choose Blue Eyes. And I'm sorry to say this...Actually no I'm not, I've just seen all I need to, but this DUEL ENDS NOW! BLUE EYES ULTIMATE DRAGON! ATTACK JINZO!"

Siefer: 0000 Jeff:3300

Siefer fell to the ground, he was defeated by his own tactics. Blackheart had gotten out of the duel without even taking damage from his cards. He could barely speak...

"I...I...lost... That's only happened once. I've never faced a duelist such as the likes of you, Blackheart. I look foward to working for you."

"I'm sure you are Gambianni. Report to my office at sunset tomorrow night. I'll fill you in with the details of your first shift. Our business here is done. I'll be flying back to New Mephisto now, I expect to see you tomorrow night."

Jeff turned around and walked back to the helicopter, with Zane close behind. Then they flew off into the night time sky.

"I sensed a darkness within Jeff that is unknown even to me... It felt as if it was even beyond the human world. I may not know what I'm getting into right now, but I'm sure I'll enjoy it..."

Siefer then picked up his hooksword off the ground, got on his motorcycle and sped away under the moonlight.


	3. Tournament Begin!

Chapter Three: Tournament Begin!

It was a new day, and the whole city stirred in anticipation of the upcoming event. As of 4:30 PM, the New Mephisto City Tournament would begin. People were even starting to gather outside the front gates of the Blackheart Corporate Business center.

Even the casually late Nick Poljacik was up early this morning, as he was excited about the tournament. He was planning to cut class today so that he'd be able to wait outside the front gates as well. He had to have a place in this tournament no matter what.

"NIIICK, IT'S 15 MINUTES TO EIGHT! DIDN'T YOU SAY YOU NEEDED TO LEAVE EARLY TODAY?" Duo called from downstairs.

Nick hurried down, and grabbed some yogurt from the fridge. He walked over to Duo's room.

"Nick, I hope you're not thinking of cutting today to go the the front gates of the Business Center. Those people out there are just going to be told to move along by the security. I've been reading about this tournament on the internet, and also looking into the Blackheart Corporation's policy on people loitering outside their building. It would just be a waste of time to go down there just to be kicked out. Here's your money for today, now get moving."

Nick took the envelope from his brother's hand, and took a look at his brother's computer monitor.

"Hey! Is that the new Strongbad Email? I wanna watch it..."

"Too bad Nick, you gotta go now. I'll let you use my computer later if you want, so don't worry about it."

Nick left Duo's room and shut the door behind him. He put his ear on the door to take a quick listen...

"Dear Strongbad, 

Do you like to play Duel Monsters? I heard from The Cheat that you are the Duel Monsters Champion of Strong Badia.

Your friend, Antonio N.

New Mephisto City

Well Antonio, the only person I've ever dueled was dis guy named Yugi. He looked like he came straight from a Japanese cartoon! Except, he didn't have any blue hair...In da end, The Cheat helped me to cheat, and I ended up vanquishing him to--"

Nick took at look at the clock, it was 5 minutes to eight. He wished he could stay, but he wanted to get in line early for the event at the Blackheart Business Center.

---

Nick arrived at the front gates of the Business Center at 8:35. He was met by a crowd of hundreds, possibly thousands of people awaiting the time when the gates would open. He saw many familiar faces, classmates and others.

"Hey guys, it's Nick! He came here too!" 

It was one of the upperclassmen from school, Jason. Nick saw him in the computer lab yesterday. Jason was a a great duelist, as he had won several local tournaments held at card shops in the city.

A group of students along with Jason gathered around Nick, commending him for his duel against Manny the other day.

"So all of you decided to cut class today too?"

"Oh no, upperclassmen like us don't start school until next week. What are you doing here Nick? Aren't you in your first year at New Mephisto High?"

"Yeah, but I was too excited about this tournament. It _is_ a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity after all, and I wasn't gonna miss it for school. You're not going to tell anyone I'm here are you?"

"Don't worry about it Nick, as a fellow duelist, I can understand. Just as long as you promise me a duel, 'cause I WANT that Tyrant Dragon of yours...Hehe..."

"Well, we'll have to see about that, now won't we? You all saw how I--"

*HOOOOOOOOOOOONKK!!!!*

Nick was barely able to finish his sentence when a security horn sounded. A black car drove up to the gates and two men stepped out. They were Manuel Figo and Sumga Hong, two of Jeff Blackheart's henchmen. The larger of the two men, Sumga took out a bullhorn.

"ATTENTION! Until 3:30 PM today, NO ONE will be allowed outside of these gates! They will open promptly at 3:30, and then people will be allowed to gather. As for right now, all of you must leave immediately! Any people who remain will be arrested! NOW GO!!"

Sumga stepped back into the car, and Manuel drove them away.

__

"No...then that means I have to go to school! And since I'll be coming in late for cutting, they'll give me detention! NOOO!!!"

Nick walked to school as quickly as he could, so he could try to sneak into class unnoticed.

---

The school was in his sights, and he took at glance at his watch. It was 9:23. It took him almost 20 minutes to get to school from the Business Center. He took note of that and hurried along.

__

"Hmm...almost 9:30. I'll be able to sneak in for second period, but Mr. Marcus will wonder where I was during first. C'mon brain...let's come up with an excuse...."

By the time Nick was on school grounds, second period had already started. Nick walked along the walls of the school building and crept below the windows so no one would see him. Finally, he reached the window where he'd be able to sneak into Mr. Marcus' class. Now he just had to wait for his opportunity...

__

"Hm, the class is busy doing Mr. Marcus' lesson for today, and Marcus has got his back turned...looks like he may be asleep at his desk. Now's as good a time as any..."

Nick slowly opened the window and gently set his backpack on to the floor. The others saw him at the window, but he shushed them before they said anything. Carefully and quietly, Nick slid through the window, making sure nothing got caught on the window sill, and not to make any noise. As he crawled through into the classroom, the wind picked up...blowing the window shut.

"AW! ****!!" yelled Nick as he fell on the classroom floor. "Ouch...my ass..."

Before he knew it, Nick was looking up at Mr. Marcus.

"Nice of you to join us Nick, maybe you'd like to join the principal in her office?"

Nick slowly got up on his feet, and Mr. Marcus escorted him to the office. As they walked down the hallway, Mr. Marcus looked very disappointed.

"Nick, I can understand why you were late today, but sneaking into class? If you had just told me you went to the Blackheart Business Center, I would have covered you."

"How did you know?"

"I was there." Mr. Marcus said as they approached the principal's office. "I saw you talking to a group of upperclassmen. I left as soon as those two goons showed up, I knew what they had to say, so I just came to school late. Well here we are..." He knocked on the door.

"Yes?" A woman's voice came from the office.

"I've got another one for you, ma'am...His names Nick Poljacik."

"Go ahead and send him in. I'm talking to a couple of others too."

Nick hesitantly went through the door and took a seat in front of the principals desk.

"Well, Nick, was it? I'm Principal Sheratt. Do you know either of these two young men?"

Nick looked over to see both Antonio and Manny sitting on separate chairs.

"Yes I do ma'am, that's Tony and the other guy's name is Manny."

"Okay, that's all I needed to know. Antonio, Manny, you may go. I need to speak to Nick."

"Yes ma'am!" Tony and Manny said as they stood up and quickly left the office.

"Now Nick, those two told me that it was your idea to cut school today. They came in late this morning and said that they decided not to go with you after all, and that there was nothing the two of them could do to keep you from going. Was it really worth it going to the Business Center early?"

"No it wasn't ma'am." Nick was avoiding eye contact with her. As he eyes roamed around the room, they locked onto a Duel Disk, sitting next to her coat on a chair.

"Nick, I'm going to make you a deal. Since you and your two friends will be getting detention today, you'll be missing the tournament commencement today at 3:30. I'll give you the chance to lift that punishment off of you and your friends."

"Great! What do I have to do?" Nick said in eager delight.

"Beat me in a duel. Now put your Duel Disk and get ready to lose!"

---

Nick was surprised. His principal, a duelist!? The things that he sees in this town...

__

"I never expected the principal to be a duelist...but wait... Maggie Sheratt? Wait! That sounds familiar...she's...she's the REGIONAL CHAMPION!!"

"Now Nick, are you ready?" She crossed her arms, then quickly stood up straight, arms pointing out in a T-shape. "Commence Western Super Administrative Disciplinary Style! Duel Disk activate!!!" 

She ended up in a weird pose with her arms pointing to one side of the room, while her legs were bent in the opposite direction.

__

"Who does she think she is? A member of the Ginyu Force?"

"Umm...can we start now, ma'am?" Nick said puzzled at her little performance.

Nick: 4000 Sheratt: 4000

"Okay, I begin by playing one monster facedown and two cards facedown."

"I play Goblin Attack Force in attack mode. I equip it with Fairy Meteor Crush, and attack your set monster."

"Argh! My Penguin Soldier!!"

She watched as a tiny Penguin Soldier was being assaulted by a team of Goblins, attacking with the force of meteors. Before the Penguin was destroyed, it threw its tiny sword at the Goblins, piercing them, and sending them back to Nick's hand.

"What happened?" Nick said as the card flew back to his hand.

"Well, Mr. Poljacik, my Penguin Soldier's effect allows me to return monsters to their owner's hand once it is flipped. But with your Fairy Meteor Crush, I lost 1800 Lifepoints in the process. However, now you're open to a direct attack. A small price to pay to clinch this game for me..." She smirked, making Nick incredibly nervious.

Nick: 4000 Sheratt: 2200

"So now I draw my card, and end this game."

"What? What do you mean you end this game?"

"I mean, this game is over. Time to finish you off."

"That's big talk for someone who doesn't even have a monster on the field."

"Ah, well I'm sorry kid, but this move will leave you with nothing. Literally."

"We'll just have to see." Nick shot back...but in his mind he was nervious. If she could bring out something strong enough, this game _was_ over.

"I summon the mighty Flying Penguin in attack mode!"

"Ha! You call that a game winning play? That pathetic thing only has 1200 attack power!'

"Just wait and see what happens, my impatient little boy. I will pay 2000 lifepoints to activate my facedown trap card, Blackheart Role Call! Now I choose one monster on my side of the field. I choose my Flying Penguin. Now I choose one word of its name, Penguin. That means that I may summon as many monsters with the name Penguin as I want from my deck."

Nick looked foward in awe. She HAD won this game...He just had to wait for her attack.

"Aww...what's wrong Nick? Know that you've already lost this game? Well, honey, sorry if you didn't believe me when I told you before! Now I summon 2 more Flying Penguins, and 2 Bolt Penguins, with 1100 attack power. Now I equip my first Flying Penguin with United We Stand, increasing its attack power to 5100! Now I equip the two other Flying Penguins and one Bolt Penguin with Axes of Despair, and my remaining Bolt Penguin gets equipped with Mage Power. Now I have an UNSTOPPABLE PENGUIN ARMY!!!"

__

"There's nothing I can do...I've lost...and I let down my friends...Now they won't be able to enter the tournament either...Tony...Manny...I'm sorry..."

Nick had never faced a Championship duelist before, and he'd made an amateur mistake in attacking her Penguin Soldier without thinking first...now he stood facing 5 monsters that could easily take away all his lifepoints...

Flying Penguin-5200/5000

Flying Penguin-2200/1000

Flying Penguin-2200/1000

Bolt Penguin-2100/800

Bolt Penguin-3600/3300

"Now, Penguin Army, DIRECT ATTACK!!!"

Nick was horrified as five penguins rushed towards him. The Flying Penguins attacked and pecked at his face while the Bolt Penguins whipped at his body with their electro-whip arms. Nick fell to the ground as his lifepoints dropped.

Nick: **-11300** Sheratt: 200

"What? My lifepoints are negative?"

"Oh, did I forget to tell you? As an Blackheart Corporate Admnistrator, I activated my Administrative Discipline Protocol when we began the duel. It allows my monsters to make your lifepoints go into the negative zone, causing you a Time Penalty. But as time passes, it will slowly return to the normal 4000. You can't duel again until it reaches at least positive one, and you must duel with the current amount on your lifepoint counter. So now, you will probably never get to participate in the tournament, and you will not be able to duel normally for quite awhile. And if you actually do manage to enter, you'll be at a great disadvantage."

"But...why me?!" Nick said with tears forming in his eyes.

"That's what you get for cutting class at my school. Your two friends, however, may leave school at the normal 3:00 today. They confessed while you tried to sneak into class. I expect you to be in detention from 3:00 to 4:00 afterschool today. Now get back to class."

__

"Damn...It'll take me at least 20 minutes to get to the Blackheart Business Center. By the time I actually get there, I won't be able to enter...But she's a Blackheart Administrator. That means she must be one of Blackheart's Eliminators in the tournament. If all his cronies have access to those Blackheart cards, there's no way anyone who faces an eliminator will ever be defeated by one of the entrants. Even if I did get to enter the tournament, my lifepoint counter won't be back to 4000 for awhile. If I dueled with low lifepoints, I'd be kicked out of the tournament anyway...But if I actually got ahold of a few of those Blackheart cards, maybe I'd be...NO! I can't begin thinking like that. If I win the tournament, I'd have access to those cards anyway, but I'd rather win without them. Well, I'll have a lot of time today to think about that...I've got an hour of detention..."

And so Nick went back to class, and afterschool promptly at 3:00, he went to the detention hall, where usually all of the troublemakers would be.

"Well, I've got an hour to kill, I might as well make myself comfortable." Nick said as he sat at a desk, and took out his notebook.

---

Nick sat bored out of his mind in the detention hall, pondering how he would be able to get out of detention or possibly stay until 4:00 and still make it to the Business Center before the front gates are closed and President Blackheart arrives.

He stared at his notebook, writing down the names of Blackheart Cards he had seen used before. He knew these cards were incredibly powerful, and that normal cards he could get in booster packs wouldn't be enough to be able to defeat them.

__

"Hmm... Blackheart Role Call-Pay 2000 Lifepoints to activate, choose one monster on your side, choose one word in their name, and special summon up to 4 monsters from your deck with a name containing that word....It's an interesting card. If I was able to get a Horn of Heaven or been able to use my Torrential Tribute card, I could've cleared the whole field and won the game... Now I'm stuck here with negative lifepoints."

"Hey wait a minute!" Nick looked around. "This place is completely empty! No one is even here watching me serve my detention! I better just leave!" He had been so immersed in his notebook that he didn't even notice that everyone was gone.

Nick rushed out and looked at his watch. It was 3:45. He was excited, as the event at the Blackheart Business Center only begun 15 minutes ago, and he would make it there! While rushing to get to the event, he decided that he had some time to spare, so he'd stop by at a local card shop and pick up a few booster packs. It was on the way downtown anyway.

He ran down the streets rushing downtown. "Okay, it's 3:58. If I stop by at the card shop and just drop in and get out, I'll get at the Blackheart Business Center by 4:15." Nick reached into his pocket and took out the exact cost for 3 booster packs.

As Nick barged through the door of the card shop, an old man greeted him kindly. "Hello, child, what can I get you today?"

Nick hopped around the store and picked out 3 booster packs, "Just these three, Mister. I left the money on the counter with exact change! I'm in a hurry...so THANKS! BYE!!" 

"What a nice young boy..." The old man said. "He must be on his way to Blackheart Business Center. Heh...good thing I already have my Duel Disk ready...hehehe...."

---

4:24 PM, Blackheart Business Center Front Gates

"Whew, I just made it...the gates aren't closed yet."

Nick walked into the gates and towards a registration machine.

[Please insert the green cord into your Duel Disk input port.]

Nick followed the directions the machine gave him.

[Thank you for registering in the New Mephisto City Tournament. Please wait for your Decoder Device to be transported to the drop down box below.]

__

"Yes...finally, this is it!"

[I'm sorry, although you are registered for the tournament, there are no more available Decoder Devices. Please try again later. Thank you.]

"WHAT!?! No more !@#%#@$ Devices?! Then how am I even gonna be able to duel in the tournament?!"

"Hey kid, quiet down, Mr. Blackheart is going to make his announcement in a few minutes, and we don't need little kids like you causin' so much noise."

__

"Ugh...I'l have to try and get ahold of one later. Ah! This guy has got his hands on my shoulders."

"Did you hear me, kid? Keep quiet before things need to get ugly around here."

Nick turned around to be met by a large man in a black trenchcoat. It was Siefer "Ghost" Gambianni. Nick had no idea who he was, and surely, he didn't want to.

"Yeah, I h-h-heard you s-s-sir...I'll b-be quiet..."

"Damn right you will. A mouth like yours won't get you far. And if it does, I'll be sure to take care of you myself. Haha..."

Siefer turned around and walked away, leaving Nick incredibly intimidated. Nick looked around for a minute for Laurna and Tony. He found them with a group of other students.

"Hey Tony! Laurna over here!!!" Nick called to them.

"Hi Nick! I thought you had detention...I didn't think you'd make it." Laurna said, pleased to see Nick.

"Yeah, Nick, what are you doing here? Detention is until 4:00 and there's no way you could have made it here on time." Tony looked a little puzzled.

"Well, there was no one around, so I figured it wouldn't hurt to leave a little bit early."

"Tsk tsk...Boys...if no one sees it, it's okay isn't it? I guess I'll never figure you guys out. Maybe I'll just forget about dating guys and-"

"Your attention please! President Blackheart will be arriving at anytime now to make his commencement speech. Please be courteous and keep your damn mouths shut!" Siefer wanted to make sure that these people respected President Blackheart. Nick wondered exactly who he was and what sort of work he did for the company.

"Geez...that guy. I was a bit angry earlier because the registration machine didn't give me a Decoder Device, and he came up to me and tried to intimidate me. What a jerk..."

"C'mon man, be quiet already. Blackheart is already stepping up onstage."

Jeff Blackheart very rarely made any sort of public appearances. Yesterday's announcment was a big surprise. Now, he appeared before a large groupe of thousands of people. He wore a very dark trenchvest. Underneath he was wearing a long-sleeve black shirt, with leather straps wrapped around his arms all the way down the sleeves. His pants were black, with all sorts of strange zippers and chains which seemed to serve no purpose whatsoever except for decorative. All his clothes has a strange luster to them, as if they were absorbing all light, but also reflecting it. Blackheart didn't seem much older than most of the people who gathered at the event. Half of them had never even seen President Blackheart before, and some people had even doubted he exists.

"Welcome ladies and gentlemen, to the beginning of the end. The end of normal life as you know it to be in New Mephisto City. The next few months of duels and battling will be worth much more than petty rivalries and reputation, but millions upon millions of dollars of riches. All that will be necessary is that you win the tournament and then defeat me in a duel."

"What a load of crap!" Nick blurted out.

__

"Did I say that outloud? Oh wait, I did. I mean to think that, but then....Oh crap, Blackheart's looking my way."

"Excuse me, youngman? If you have a suggestion to make about my tournament, feel free to come up and make it, the mic is yours." Jeff made a motion for Nick to come up on stage.

Nick went onstage very nerviously. Laurna and Tony looked on.

__

"Oh...what's Nick gotten himself into this time..." Laurna thought.

"What's your name kid?" Jeff questioned him.

"My name's Nick Poljacik."

"Nick, huh?" Siefer stepped in and whispered something to Jeff. "Oh, my friend here says that you've caused a little bit of trouble here today, Nick."

"I was just mad 'cause your stupid registration machine didn't give me a Decoder Device."

"Oh, is that it? You entered my tournament, but you have no way to duel in it? I see. Well, you see my friend Siefer Gambianni here?" He pointed over to Siefer. "He's an eliminator in my tournament. You entered, but have no Decoder. As an eliminator, he carries 5 Devices with him at all times. Even though you have no Decoder, you may still duel my Eliminators for one Decoder Device at a time. However, that may be an extremely daunting task."

"That's still crap. Even if anyone of us won your tournament, how would we expect to beat you or any of your eliminators? With those Blackheart Cards you made, how can any of us expect to win?"

"Watch your mouth Nick. I can expel you from my tournament as I may please. You're making me angry now. If you want a Decoder that badly, you can have one, if it will stop your whining. Siefer, give him one."

Siefer handed Nick a Decoder Device. Nick seemed extremely pleased.

"Nick, you can keep that under one condition. You duel me right now. If you win, I'll give you my whole deck. If you lose, you can still keep the Decoder, but you'll have to do whatever I tell you to. I haven't decided quite yet...But I'll come up with something creative."

"But I can't duel, one of your Administrators gave me a Time Penalty."

"Oh, I'm sorry, then no Decoder for you...."

"I'll take his place." A voice came from the crowd.

It was Duo, Nick's brother.

"Duo? Are you sure about this?"

"Nick, I know how badly you wanted to enter this tournament. Cutting class, leaving detention early...If this goes well, I'll even give you my Decoder."

"Awwwww, how nice. Well, then I suppose you're willing to undergo whatever punishment I decide for you then, Duo?"

"I won't need to, because I'm NOT going to lose..." Duo said with a smirk.

"Well then, let's start put on a show for these people! I'm sure that this duel will get them excited, as the New Mephisto City Tournament begins RIGHT NOW!!!"


	4. Brothers Greatest Triumph?

Chapter Four: The Brothers' Greatest Triumph or 'FINAL' Sacrifice?

It was official, the New Mephisto City Tournament was going to begin with a bang. The very first duel would be between Jeff Blackheart and Duo Poljacik, Nick's brother. This would surely be a very promising duel.

"Get ready Duo, you're about to be overwhelmed by the powers of Darkness!"

"Whatever Blackheart, it's not like you're impressing anyone. You haven't made a public appearance in years, and now you think we're all going to bow down to you and call you our master? Sure, you've done a lot for this city, but there's no way I'm going to listen to corporate fatcats like you."

"Fatcat? Ha! You act as if I have no reason to feel above these people. Although, I feel that if anyone is below me, it's you and your family, Duo. By the time I'm finished with you, you'll be sobbing all over your mother's grave."

"Shut your damn mouth. You have no idea the pain and suffering I've been through in my life just to get where I am today. You on the other hand, haven't worked a day in your life. You just got a free ride from your cronies and your money."

"Duo, please, don't cause any trouble here...I've caused enough." Nick said in caution.

"I have no idea...how SUFFERING and PAIN feels? You think that YOU'RE the ONLY orphan around here? I can assure you, I have never received anything easily in my life, and I'll make sure you will be punished for how you dare speak to your rightful master."

"We'll just have to see about that, won't we? Now quit talking and let's get started!"

Jeff: 4000 Duo: 4000

"I'll be making the first move. I'll set a monster in defense mode, and place one other card facedown." Jeff looked extremely calm, while Duo seemed a bit anxious.

"Okay, I'll summon Newt in attack mode. Now I activate the magic card, Cold Wave. It prevents either of us from playing or setting any magic or traps until my next turn. I will attack your set monster with Newt."

"You attacked my Giant Germ. So now you will take 500 damage to your lifepoints, and I can summon two more Giant Germs from my deck."

Jeff: 4000 Duo: 3500

"I'm through, make your move, Blackheart."

"I'll set another monster in defense mode, and put my Giant Germs into defense mode as well."

"Hm...so now that the effect of my Cold Wave magic card is gone, I play Mystic Plasma Zone, raising the attack power of all dark monsters on the field by 500 points, while lowering their defenses by 400 points. Now I sacrifice my Newt to summon the Beast of Talwar! Not only that, I will equip him with Fairy Meteor Crush, allowing me to break through any of your defenses and do damage to your lifepoints! Now, Beast of Talwar, attack his set monster with your Wicked Sword Strike!"

"Ha, what a foolish mistake, I'll activate my facedown card, Reverse Trap. All increases and decreases in attack and defense are reversed. And you attacked my Wall of Illusion. Not only will your Beast of Talwar return to your hand, but as all increases and decreases to attack power were reversed, you lose 350 lifepoints."

Jeff: 4000 Duo: 1650

"Damn...that was a mistake...put one magic card facedown. Now I'll end my turn."

"Hmm...I guess I'll sacrifice one of my Giant Germs for a much stronger monster...Dark Ruler Hades! So now I'll be switching my other two monsters into attack mode, and have all of them attack directly!"

"I don't think so, I'll activate Gravity Bind."

"Oh, well, my Giant Germ still attacks. Use Influenza Infection Injection!!!! And thanks to your Mystic Plasma Zone, you'll lose an extra 500 lifepoints!"

Jeff: 4000 Duo: 150

"Well, before you end your turn, I'll activate Destiny Board. Then, at the end of the turn, I'll be able to add another letter to it, counting down to an instant victory for me."

"I'd like to see that happen. I end my turn."

"I activate Spirit Message "I" from my hand. Now it's my turn. I play Mystical Space Typhoon to remove Gravity Bind. Instead, I'll replace it with Messenger of Peace! Now any monster with an attack power of 1500 or higher can no longer attack! Now I'll be setting a monster in defense mode and end my turn."

Jeff looked a little nervious about Duo's strategy, but Jeff knew that as long as he had Duo off balance, he would make a mistake that would cause him the game.

"I'll draw my card, and set a magic card facedown. Now I'll summon Hades Familiar. I use it to attack your set monster."

"Sorry to say this Blackheart, but you attacked my Cyber Jar. Now all the monsters on the field are destroyed, and we both draw five cards and show them to each other. I drew Spirit Messages "N", "A", and "L", Sangan, and the Mask of Darkness."

"I picked up La Jinn, Red Cyclops, Pot of Greed, Nightmare Rider: Chariot of Blackheart, and Wall of Illusion. I'll summon La Jinn and Red Cyclops in attack mode, and Wall of Illusion in defense mode."

"I'll put my Sangan in defense mode."

"I'll play Pot of Greed to draw two cards, and end my turn."

"Now, I activate Spirit Message "N" from my hand. And since it's my turn, I'll choose to pay 100 lifepoints to keep my Messenger of Peace on the field. I set a monster in defense mode and end my turn."

Jeff: 4000 Duo: 50

__

"Argh...if I can't come up with something in my next two turns, I'll actually lose! I NEVER LOSE!!! Especially with that punk thinking that I don't know what suffering feels like. I'll make him and his family suffer... Especially that troublemaking brother of his..."

"I can't attack, so I'll just draw my card and end my turn."

"Heh, so now I'll put Spirit Message "A" into play. One more turn and I win this duel."

"I seriously doubt that will happen. It's as simple as this....I never lose. It's what keeps me sane, and what gets me everything I want. And yes, I had to work to get where I am, and there's no way you're going to get away for how insulting that mouth of yours is."

"I'll choose not to pay 100 lifepoints to keep my Messenger of Peace on the field. Now I'll play Raigeki to destroy all your monsters. Then I'll set a monster in defense and end my turn. You better make this good, because this next turn will be your last."

"Well then, there's nothing more I can do than concede this duel. If I end my turn, you get to activate the final Spirit Message. I can't attack, so I give up."

"HAHA! I knew it. You're just a big phony. You're all talk and no skill. Funny how the the last card in my hand is Spirit Message "L". L for LOSER which is what you are!!"

"Oh wait....I think there _is_ something I can do...as you can see, I have 6 cards in my hand. So I choose to activate my one facedown magic card. Final Destiny."

"What?! No!! That's impossible...."

"No, it's quite possible. While you were busy assembling your Spirit Messages, I chose another route. So now I'll sacrifce 5 cards from my hand in order to destroy all the cards on the field, including my own. And even if I ended my turn afterwards, you wouldn't be able to play that Spirit Message "L" from your hand. However, my turn isn't quite done yet. As I have so many Fiend type monsters in the graveyard, I'll remove 3 of them from play to summon this monster from my hand. Dark Necrofear. I'm sorry, I attack, and you lose."

Jeff: 4000 Duo: 0000

---

"Duo, as for your punishment...Siefer, take him into the building and we'll decide what to do with him. Nick, well it looks like you got what you wanted. A Decoder Device. But was it worth what will become of your brother?"

"If you hurt him..." Nick said as tears formed in his eyes.

"What? I'm a business man. I don't take out petty rivalries with violence, but with proper management. I take care of things in a professional manner. I can't say the same for Siefer here..."

Siefer had a huge, wicked grin on his face. He shot a look towards Nick.

"Hey, don't act like I can't here that you're talking about me!" Duo screamed in anger. "And you won't be taking me without a fight!!!"

Duo deactivated his Duel Disk and rushed towards Blackheart, but before he could lift his arm to throw a punch, Siefer had him by the collar. Siefer lifted him straight up off the ground and threw him down on his back. He knelt down on Duo driving his knee into his sternum.

"No one gets to Blackheart without going through me first. You should be honored that he even dueled a punk kid like you." Siefer reached for the swords on his back and crossed them over Duo's neck. "Now be careful Duo, if you move, it might make me twitch. And if that happens you might find yourself a foot shorter."

Nick looked over in terror. This was all his fault. He caused this trouble... He brought his brother into this. All because of his greed and his big mouth.

"DON'T HURT MY BROTHER!!!" Nick ran towards Siefer in a blind rage, but before he knew it, he saw Siefer's arm swinging towards him and he was forced onto the ground.

Nick felt a warm sensation in his lower abdomen. He was face down on the stage and started feeling a sharp pain in his stomach. He felt his stomach with his hand, and when he brought his hand to his view, he saw blood.

"Oh my...god..." He looked over to see Siefer with his arm raised, sword in hand, poised to strike. "No....Duo..." He was barely conscious and didn't know what was happening, but he feared the worst.

"SIEFER THAT IS ENOUGH! Take Duo in, and wait for me. Have someone call an ambulence for Nick here. They're orphans, and they really only have each other, no need to cause them any more anguish than I already have planned..."

"Yes, sir, Mr. Blackheart...I understand." Siefer knocked Duo unconscious with the handle of his hooksword, and put him over his shoulder, and carried him into the building.

"You, Nick's friends, wait with him until the paramedics come." Blackheart motioned for Tony and Laurna to come to Nick's side, then turned and went into the building behind Siefer.

"You bastard..." Tony said as he watched Jeff walk into the building.

"Oh Nick....why didn't you just keep your mouth shut..." Laurna took Nick's hand and started sobbing uncontrollably.

---

Nick lay unconscious on his hospital bed. Laurna, Tony, and Nick's Aunt all sat quietly in the room. Finally, Laurna stood up and spoke.

"Ummm, Tony, Ms. Pol- Auntie? Can I have a few minutes alone with Nick?"

"Of course Laurna, I suppose it wouldn't do much harm for the two of us to give you two a little time to yourselves. C'mon Tony, I'll get you something from the cafeteria."

"M'kay, Ms. Poljacik." Tony got off his chair and left the room without looking back.

__

"Geez...I give Laurna a bouquet of flowers, and I only get to bring her to the Commencement today...but Nick gets a huge gash in his stomach and gets Laurna all to himself...My best friend's hurt...but...still, what about me?"

"We'll be back soon Laurna."

"Okay, Auntie."

Nick's eyes opened slightly.

"Laurna....? What happened? Where am I...?" Laurna looked at him with a kind, concerned smile.

Nick tried to sit up, but Laurna stopped him.

"Be careful Nick, don't move too much. You've got a lot of stitches. You're in the hospital.... Siefer got you with his hook sword."

"Oh...I remember now... DUO!!!! What happened to Duo?!"

"Siefer brought him into the building. We don't know what happened next. Auntie got a memo saying that Duo would be living and working within the Blackheart Corporation Headquarters, but that's just a cover-up... Don't worry, Nick, we'll get him back. Now just close your eyes and get some rest, the faster you recover, the sooner we can go find your brother."

"Thanks....Laurna. You always know what to say to make me feel better..." He laid back and closed his eyes, then drifted off to sleep.

"Get well soon Nick....We all need you." Laurna leaned over and gently kissed him on the cheek. Then she walked out of the room.

"Hey Laurna, where are you off to?" Ms. Poljacik said when she saw Laurna leaving.

"Well, I guess I'm gonna go home, maybe duel someone on the way home. I can't let this affect my life too much, because I know Nick will pull through it."

"Okay, I'll see you later then. I'm going to stay the night here with Nick. Tony, why don't you walk her home?"

"That sounds good, let's go Tony."

The two of them left the hospital, worried about their friend.

---

Later....

It was getting dark, but Tony and Laurna were nowhere near their neighborhood yet.

"Where are we Tony? I don't recognize this place?"

"Uhh...Don't get mad at me, but I think we're lost."

"Dammit Tony! Now my parents are gonna kill me! It's nearly 10:00 and my parents will be soooo angry if they find out I was spending all that time with a boy! They'll be suspicious of me for months!"

"Oh, I'm sorry...I'm sure if it was Nick you were walking home with you wouldn't be angry at him!"

"Antonio Nicosia! I am SO DAMN TIRED of your petty jealousy. I know that you and Nick both have feelings for me, but the three of us are all friends. You shouldn't let any of that affect our friendships, no matter what. And if you want me so bad, why don't you do anything about it? You expect me to come to you just because you like me? No, I didn't think so..."

"Laurna...I'm sorry....it's just been a long day. Can we just get going?"

Laurna slapped Tony HARD right across the face.

"I'll be fine without you." Laurna stormed off into the night.

__

"Laurna....you stuck up little *****. But you should be my stuck up little *****...."


	5. Search and Destroy

Chapter Five: Search and Destroy: Type Zero Magic Crusher!

Three weeks later....

Nick was out of the hospital and life had nearly returned to normal, but.... Duo still was within Blackheart's grasp, and what became of him is stil unknown. After Laurna and Tony's little argument on that night, they haven't talked since. Laurna has even stayed away from Nick. They have gone their separate ways, but they will soon be reunited in order to help Nick find out what became of his brother, and to help each other get through the elimination rounds of the tournament. Duelists were afraid to duel, especially with the eliminators patrolling the city, and duels were usually played in places where it was safe from eliminators. Nearly every place had an Eliminator around, even the school. Nick was all too familiar with the school's Eliminator, Maggie Sheratt, the principal.

It was Saturday morning. Tony was sleeping in, not caring what the world had in store for him today. Laurna was up bright and early, getting ready to go to her Track meet. Nick was nowhere to be found. No one was sure where he was this morning. His Aunt only knew that he'd left really early this morning.

Laurna packed her athletics bag with her water bottle, a towel, a change of clothes, and her Duel Disk. She put on her jogging shorts and her Track Team shirt.

"Hey Mom!! I need a ride to my Track meet! I need to get there early to warm-up!"

"Okay honey, I'll be right down."

Laurna was on her way to the school, where her Track meet was taking place. She looked out the window as they were approaching the school, and she saw someone she hadn't seen in weeks. It was a guy in a blue and white shirt, with a Duel Disk on his arm, she could have sworn it was Nick.

"Mom, can you pull over real quick? I think I saw someone I know."

Laurna got out of the car, and chased down the guy, "Hey NICK! Is THAT YOU!?!?"

The guy didn't turn around or say anything. Laurna ran in front of him.

"Uhh do I know you?" It was Jason the computer lab aide from school.

"Oh no, nevermind." Laurna started to turn away.

"If you're looking for Nick, he's in the computer lab at school. I'm supposed to meet him there."

Jason turned around, but she was already gone.

---

Nick was frustrated. After his recovery, he was determined to find out what happened to Duo. He had been searching the internet for any possible information about the Blackheart Corporation and the Eliminators. Jason was going to help him in his search. He had come to the Computer Lab everyday, afterschool, and now on the weekends.

"Damn...nothing. At this rate, I'll never find Duo... Jason better get here soon. Maybe I should call up Tony. The more people we have working on this, the more likely we'll find something."

Nick called Tony, who was reluctant to get out of bed. He eventually was convinced to come help Nick and Jason in their search for information.

"Well, school on Saturday? I'll help you guys, but just give me a little while to get there."

"Okay, and umm could you stop by my house and get the folder of computer disks on my brother's desk? Those might help us."

"Sure, Nick, anything to help you out."

---

Tony arrived right before 2:30, around the time when the Track meet was ending.

"Hey guys sorry I'm late. Your Aunt cooked up some lunch for me when I stopped by."

"It's not problem we've got all day. And we're not going anywhere till we find something."

"Yeah, and as long as I'm here, you won't get kicked out as long as you don't cause any trouble. Just remember, as the Computer Lab aide, I can kick you out if I want to." Jason said with a smirk.

"Oh yeah, Nick, your Aunt said that these are yours." Tony handed Nick three booster packs.

"Hm...these must be the packs I bought the day of the incident. I never opened them."

"Yep. Your Aunt said that they were on you when the ambulence picked you up, and that she forgot to give them back since you never asked."

"Well, opening them would be a nice break from all reading I've been doing on the internet all day..."

"Open them later, we've got work to do. I know how distracted you get when you get a shiny new card in your hands."

"Alright, Tony. There's a free computer over there. Now get workin'!"

---

Laurna's Track meet had just ended. She was walking down the hallway coming from the Locker Room.

__

"What a long day...six miles can really take it out of you...I need somewhere to sit down and take a rest. Maybe...I'll go to the Computer Lab, there's a nice couch in there, and it's nearby. I know Nick and Tony will probably be there, but I've got to talk to them anyways..."

Laurna looked into the Computer Lab to see Nick, Tony, and Jason all working hard. She stepped into the room making sure everyone noticed her come in.

"Hey guys, how ya doin'?"

"Laurna! It's nice to see you." Nick greeted her nicely, while Tony turned away and kept working.

"Umm...Tony? Nick? Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure, Tony, c'mon, Jason is gonna keep looking so it's fine."

Tony hesitantly got up and joined Laurna and Nick.

"Now Nick, I'm sure you heard what happened between Tony and I the other night. And Tony, I know that I hurt you. But we're all friends here, and we've got to help each other pull through the tough times. And Nick is going through a very tough time, and I want to be there to help him. So how about the three of us just forget about all the dramatics and emotional crap, and help Nick find Duo!!"

"Sounds good to me."

"Whatever..." Tony still looked bitter.

"Tony, I know you want to help Nick as much as I do, so please. For Nick, can we get along again?"

Tony blushed fo a moment. "Oh sure...I can never stay mad at you!!"

"Okay then, I've got an idea. The three of us open one of these booster packs. We each use one of the cards from them as a symbol of our friendship. Here. Laurna, you take this one, and this one's yours Tony." Nick handed them the booster packs.

"Haha...I got Delinquent Duo. That sounds like you an me Nick."

"I got Goblin Attack Force! This card is great for my deck! And it also shows that the three of us are strong when we're a single force!"

Laurna had a small tear in her eye and sniffled.

"What's wrong Laurna? What card did you get?" Nick asked.

Laurna let out a small laugh.

"United We Stand. It's almost too perfect."

"Great!!! Now with the three of us searching the net for information about the Blackheart Corporation, we'll find out what happened to Duo, and we'll find him in no time!!"

"Actually, I'm kinda tired, can I take a rest for a while on that comfy couch over there?"

"Sure, Laurna, I know you just got back from the Track meet."

"Hee hee...Thanks."

"Okay Tony, let's get back to work."

---

It was nearly 5:40 and no one had found anything. The school was going to close the doors at 6:00, so they had to make sure they left before then. As they were gathering their materials, someone appeared at the door.

"Y'know, if I did the searching for you, you'd already know where your brother is, Nick."

"Who's there?" Nick couldn't see who was in the doorway.

"Let's just say that I'm a computer hacker. I can hack into the system and find out what they did to your brother and where he is. All I ask is that you duel me."

"You're on. Let's duel."

"Oh, I'd hate to interupt you while you finish your pointless efforts. Meet me outside when you're ready."

He stepped out of the doorway and left.

"Jason, any idea who that was?"

"No idea...I'll go ahead and wait outside. Maybe I can find something out." Jason turned away and left. He grinned.

"Well, guys, if you're ready to go, let's get outta here."

"Okay, Nick. Let's go so you can beat the crap outta that arrogant bastard."

"Umm...right. Let's go." Laurna rolled her eyes.

The three of them left and locked the Computer Lab doors behind them. As they walked down the hall, Nick felt a bit nervious, just as he did before any duel. This was good to keep him on his toes, expecting any possible move. They stepped out into the setting sun of New Mephisto City, walking towards the courtyard, where they saw Jason talking to the alleged computer hacker, a thin, short boy with glasses and bluish white hair.

"Alright you, I'm here. I'm ready. So let's duel!"

"Whoa, not so fast Nick." Jason said.

"Why? What's the problem?"

"Well, Hunter and I here have a little agreement." Jason looked more confident than usual. "Since Hunter's a computer hacker, he's gonna help me advance in this tournament. But in return, I agreed to duel with him in a handicap tag team match with the three of you."

"Jason...that's so underhanded of you. I'd never expected this from you. Maybe Tony..."

"Hey! Shut your mouth!"

"I'm just kidding...so the three of us against you and this Hunter guy?"

"That's right." Hunter said. "However, there's not much at stake in this duel. All I want is that you duel me so I can test out my deck. If I lose my Decoder here, it's no problem since I'll be able to aquire more later. I just need to see how my deck will work head to head against three top notch duelists. So just do me a favor, and I'll do you a favor."

"Sounds simple enough..." Nick said.

"But why don't we just inform an Eliminator of your illegal behavior?" Laurna questioned Hunter.

"I'm doing you the favor of hacking into the databases so that Nicky there can find his brother. In exchange I need your mouths zipped so that no one finds out that I hacked into it, and so that I can get away with whatever I wish. Plus, I can trace the hacking back to any of you, should you decide to betray me."

"Whatever, let's just get started." 

Nick, Tony, Laurna, Jason and Hunter all strapped on their Duel Disks and prepared to duel.

Nick, Tony, Laurna: 10000

Jason, Hunter: 8000

__

"Oh man...that negative time penalty still hasn't worn off, and it's been three weeks. At least I've got 2000 to work with, but that doesn't separate us much from Jason and Hunter. I just hope that I at least get my normal lifepoints back by the time I get to do some serious dueling...."

"M'kay...Nick will take the first move." Hunter said. "Afterwards, my turn, then it's Laurna's turn, then Jason, and finally, Antonio. Go ahead Nick."

"Alright, I'll summon Gearfried the Iron Knight in attack mode and play 2 cards facedown. Now I end my turn."

"Hehe...Gearfried? My Uncle hates that card...It's the reason he got ejected from the Battle City Tournament of Domino City."

"Then that means..."

"Hehehehe...Yes, I'm Hunter Underwood. But don't think you'll know what to expect from me."

"Whatever bug-boy." Tony said. "Make your move already."

"I'll place a monster in facedown defense mode, and set three magic and traps facedown. Now I'll place Graceful Charity, drawing two cards from my deck and discarding two. So now I'll Monster Reborn on the card I just discarded, INSECT QUEEN!!!! WAHAHAH!!!!!" Hunter let out an incredibly annoying laugh.

"I guess it's my turn..." Laurna drew a card. "I'll play this monster in defense mode and set one card facedown."

"Okay, I guess this should get us started. I'll play Mechanical Chaser in attack mode, and then I'll set two cards facedown."

"Geez, this duel could take awhile. I'll summon White Magical Hat in attack mode, then play Messenger of Peace. Now I'll place a card facedown."

"I summon Dream Clown in attack mode and equip it with Heart of Clear Water. I end my turn."

"I'll play the trap card, Dust Tornado to destroy your Messenger of Peace, Tony. So now I'll flip summon my Flying Kamakiri #1 in attack mode and sacrifice it to attack Gearfried!!!"

"Hold on, I'll activate my trap, Gravity Bind!" Tony flipped over his hidden card.

"Well, then. Now I will activate my Type Zero Magic Crusher!! Now each time I discard a magic card from my hand, it will do 500 points of direct damage to your lifepoints!!!"

"What? But magic cards can't just be thrown away like that...You need them to help support your monsters..."

"Don't tell me what I need to do, Nick. I learned from my Uncle. Do whatever it takes to win...So I'll discard these three magic cards in my hand. That makes a total of 1500 points of direct damage!"

Nick, Tony, Laurna: 8500

Jason, Hunter: 8000

"I'll summon another monster in defense mode and end my turn." Laurna was unsure what to do in this situation so she decided to wait for her opportunity to strike.

"Okay kids, sorry to do this to you, but I'll use Harpie's Feather Duster to wipe out all your magic and trap cards, including Tony's Gravity Bind and Nick's Heart of Clear Water."

"I'll activate my Fake Trap to save this one trap from destruction." Laurna quickly winked at Nick.

"Now I summon a second Mechanical Chaser from my hand. I would attack...but then it won't do quite enough damage...It wouldn't satisfy me. Maybe if I added this card... Limiter Removal! It raises both of my Mechanical Chaser's attack power to 3700 each! Attack White Magical Hat and Dream Clown!!!"

Nick, Tony, Laurna: 3300

Jason, Hunter: 8000

"Since my Mechanical Chasers will be destroyed at the end of this turn, I'll put this card facedown and end my turn."

"Whoa...if I can't pull something outta my hat, we're gonna lose this, and I won't let that happen. I'll play a monster in defense mode and two facedown cards."

"Okay, my turn. I'll equip Gearfried with Fusion Sword Murasame! Now I'll attack your Insect Queen!"

Nick, Tony, Laurna: 3300

Jason, Hunter: 7600

"Hehehe, that brings back memories of my Uncle. And now since it's my turn, I play Pot of Greed and activate Jar of Greed. Now I'll discard four magic cards in my hand to add up to 2000 points of damage!"

Nick, Tony, Laurna:1300

Jason, Hunter: 7600

"Now, I'll activate Dark Piercing Light. All your monsters on the field are revealed!"

Nick's Gearfried was already face-up, and it was the strongest monster on the field. Laurna had a Giant Soldier of Stone and Harpie Lady in defense mode. Tony had a Yata-Garasu in defense mode. Everyone found that a bit odd.

"Ha! Now that all your monsters are face-up, I'll activate my other face-down trap! Skull Lair!! Since Type Zero Magic Crusher allowed me to send so many of my cards to the grave, this should really hurt... So I'll remove enough cards from my graveyard to destroy all the monsters on your field!! HEE HEE HEEEAAHH!!!!! Plus, since Yata-Garasu is a Spirit monster, and can't be special summoned, there's almost no possible way for you to get it back. I'll end my turn."

"Don't think this duel is over yet, Hunter. Even though we've been on the receiving end of most of the damage, you've left your fields completely open to attacks. And to make sure my attack goes through, I'll play Mystical Space Typhoon on Jason's facedown card."

"Ugh...there goes my Mirror Force..." Jason knew they would take some damage...but not enough to end the game.

"I'll play Monster Reborn on my Harpie Lady that was destroyed, and I'll summon Harpie Lady SB in attack mode! Then I play Elegant Egotist to summon Harpie Lady Sisters from my hand! And Hunter, you can't remove any more cards to destroy my monsters, since you don't have nearly enough cards left in the graveyard. And now, I equip Harpie Lady SB with United We Stand, raising her attack power to 4200! Now I'll send all my monsters to attack you, Hunter!!!"

"NOOOOO!!!! That leaves us with hardly any lifepoints!"

Nick, Tony, Laurna: 1300

Jason, Hunter: 150

"Whoa...that's hardly any room to breathe. All I can really do is play Raigeki...Sorry Laurna but there goes all your monsters!!! I don't have any monsters I can play, but I'll set four magic and trap cards facedown."

"Good one Laurna, you sent the two of them reeling...Now we just have to do a little bit more damage to end this game. This might be a risky move...But I'll play Confiscation on the cards in Jason's hand. At the cost of 1000 Lifepoints, I get to discard any card from your hand!"

Nick, Tony, Laurna: 300

Jason, Hunter: 150

"Go ahead...I doubt any of this will help you."

"That's what you think. Since this is a Team Duel, my Yata-Garasu lockdown method wouldn't work. But that's not what I'm going for this time...I'll choose to discard your Summoned Skull. Not only that, but I'll bring it back from your graveyard with Monster Reborn!"

"Hmm...so?"

"Don't be so confident, Jason. I'll attack you with Summoned Skull...Demon's Lighting!!"

"Well, I had this trap, Negate Attack, but you almost had me there."

"Looks like it's my turn again... I'll end this now... With Hunter's turn coming up, that means he can discard one magic card and win this duel. So I summon Hayabusa Knight and attack!"

"Ha, well thats too bad again, since I had another Negate attack."

"Ugh...I can't do anything else. It your turn, Hunter."

"There's not much I have to do to win this duel. So I'll just discard this one magic card for 500 points of damage. We win."

Nick and Tony looked incredibly disappointed. It was their first duel of the tournament, and they were all going to be ejected from it already.

"Not so fast Hunter!" Laurna surprised everyone. "This duel doesn't go to the two of you! I'll activate this trap!"

"What?! No!!! This can't be possible!"

"That's right...HELLISH TRAP DOOR GUN!!"

The card revealed itself to all the players as it shot a stream of energy towards Hunter, knocking him off his feet, and sending their lifepoints to 0.

Nick, Tony, Laurna: 300

Jason, Hunter: 0000

"But how did that happen Laurna?" Nick looked confused, he had no idea what the card did.

"Whenever we take damage that isn't battle damage, Hellish Trap Door Gun sends the damage right back into the opponent!"

"And that was the card you had facedown for most of the game...A clever move, Laurna. Saving that trap and waiting until the right time to activate it. Good game guys..." Jason looked somber, as he knew this meant the end of the line for him. "Hunter, I'd rather earn my Decoder Devices rather than you cheating the system for me. From now on, I'll just earn my way back into the tournament. It won't be easy, but I don't have much of a choice. And I wouldn't be able to live with myself knowing that I cheated my way into the tournament's finals."

"Do what you want, Jason. That's quite the noble decision. We all have the choice what we want to do, and I choose my ways of getting into the finals. Even if I haven't earned it. So please, guys, let's both do each other a favor and keep this stuff to ourselves. I'll give Jason all you need to get into the database, and he'll get you the information so you can get your brother back. For winning this duel, Nick, Laurna, and Tony...You all get one Decoder. If it's all right with you, I want Jason to keep his."

"No arguments here. We all end up with two Decoders each, and Jason still has his one."

"I'll be around, so I'll see you all later. I have some business to attend to. Hee hee hee..."

"Thanks. I'll help you guys with the info on Monday. Right now, I wanna go earn myself a Decoder!"

"Okay, bye bye Jason."

Jason simply walked away, unphased by the loss.

"Well guys, looks like we're one step closer to entering the finals!" Nick had a huge smile on his face.

"No need to be so excited...There's still a long way to go." Laurna said, but she was still happy about their victory.

"Plus, Laurna really won the duel for us, Nick." Tony nudged Nick with his elbow.

"Hehehe...Yeah that's right! I won't always be around to save your butts! Hehe..."

"Either way, we all have two Decoders...So that means two more to go."

And so, the three of them settled any bad blood between the three of them, realizing that their friendship is what will get them through this tournament, and also it is what will let them stand strong in the face of darkness. Hopefully, their efforts will soon be rewarded, Nick will find his brother, and all will return to normal....


	6. Brothers Reunited

Chapter Six: Brother's Reunited: DEATH Duel!

Nick's hope was renewed after the duel with Hunter. He had given Jason all the information needed to find out where Duo was. Nick woke up early this morning so he could get to school. He was going to meet Jason in the Lab early so that they could find the information about Duo's whereabouts, and leave to find him right afterschool.

Nick went downstairs to the kitchen and had his breakfast. He picked up the envelope with the money in it off his Aunt's desk and walked over to Duo's room.

"Duo....don't worry, I'll find you soon..."

Nick stepped out of the house and rode his bike to school.

---

Meanwhile...

Zane poked his head into Jeff's office.

"President Blackheart, there's someone here to see you. His name's Hunter Underwood."

"Send him in."

"Heehee....Mr. Blackheart, everything's set. I gave them the disk and everything."

"Good work, they'll never suspect a thing." Jeff had a wicked smile on his face.

"I'll go back to work on the Blackheart Spire's systems. I'll inform you when Nick is spotted near the location I gave them."

"Very well, you're dismissed." His smile grew larger. "This is going to be fun... MUWHAHAHAHAHAAA!!!!" 

---

"Hey Jason, ready to get crackin'?"

"Yeah, just gimme a minute to get the key to the Computer Lab."

Jason opened up the lab and Nick quickly turned on a computer and took a seat.

"Okay Jason, what do we do?"

"All Hunter told me is that I have to put the disk in. So here you go."

Nick inserted the disk. A screen popped up with the Blackheart Corporation's logo. Several options appeared, including Staff, Investor's Information, History, and a few others. Nick clicked the option marked History, but was met with the message:

[Access Denied.]

"Hey...I thought Hunter had hacked through all this stuff...why can't I get in here?"

"I don't think Hunter wants us to know anything that he knows that we shouldn't know."

"Huh?" Nick was puzzled.

"Forget it, just find the info you need."

Nick clicked on Staff.

[Please input employee's name.]

He took a deep breath and typed, [DUO POLJACIK]

[Please wait a moment.]

Nick stared at the screen, awaiting any results. His heart was racing faster than it had ever been in his life. The progress bar appeared below the text, and Nick waited. Waited. Waited. The progress bar didn't move.

"Agh! Why is this taking so long!" Nick was losing patience.

"Calm down, Nick, you've waited three weeks, you can wait a few more minutes."

Nick looked at the screen again.

[Progress: 17% completed]

"Nick you'd better go to class. I'll keep watch on this and show you the result later."

"Thanks. I wouldn't want to get detention on the day I rescue from brother from the clutches of evil." Nick had smiled for the first time in awhile.

---

It was a very long day for Nick. He sat impatiently through all his classes. Finally, the end of the day had come, and Nick, Tony, and Laurna rushed down to the Computer Lab. Jason was still at the computer, fixated on the screen.

"What is it Jason? What did you find?" Nick inquired.

"Well, apparently, when you search the name of an employee, you can also find their current location. And your brother is working on the construction of the top floors of the Blackheart Spire."

"That's where the finals of the tournament are going to be held right?"

"Yeah, that's right. But I also found something else. The Blackheart Spire is built on the site of an archaelogical dig. I haven't found out what exactly was there, but I know that Blackheart chose that spot for a reason."

"So where's my brother now? I need to go find him."

"He's still in the same area he was four hours ago. Blackheart Spire. It's not open to the public, so you might need some help getting in. That's why I want to go with you."

"No, I need to do this alone. Tony, Laurna, Jason, I don't want to put you in danger."

"Nick, there's no need to be all heroic now, it's ok." Laurna put her hand on his shoulder.

"No, I really need to face this alone. I need to do this for myself, and for Duo. Please. I'll be fine."

"Whatever you say Nick, I know how stubborn you are when you're set on something."

"Thanks Tony. Now I'mma get going. See you all later."

"Be careful Nick. Please." Laurna was extemely worried.

"I will. No need to worry. Make sure no one hears about this...especially my Aunt. And you guys, make sure you get as much information as possible from Hunter's disk.

Nick hopped on his bike, and rode as fast as he possibly could to the Blackheart Business District, where the construction of the Spire was taking place. His heart rate increased the closer he came to the Spire.

"Whoa, that place is huge. Only Blackheart would build such a place for his tournament finals..."

He looked up in awe of the huge tower built in the shape of a spiral. The exterior was completely black, spiraling higher and higher getting thinner as it went higher. Towards the top, he could tell it was unfinished.

__

"My brother has to be around here somewhere. Blackheart must be some kind of psycho to have people captured by his company to build a huge building like this."

Nick walked around the perimeter of the gate surrounding the tower, finding that strangely, it was unlocked.

"Hmm..that's weird. Blackheart usually has top-notch security. Why would this be left open?"

He cautiously stepped through the gates, and observed his surroundings. He saw the area to enter the Spire, where there was 6 panels with 4 indentations in each of them. The indentations for the 4 Decoder Devices required to enter the finals. 

*CLICK!*

Suddenly, without warning, the gate closed behind him. A searchlight was directed at Nick.

"What the Hell's going on here?"

"Welcome Nick. I believe you're looking for your brother?" It was Jeff Blackheart. He was standing on top of the watchtower with the searchlight.

"Blackheart! How did you know I was coming?"

"Well, look for yourself." Jeff directed the light to the doors of the Spire, which slowly opened to reveal Siefer Gambianni. Behind him stood Hunter.

"HUNTER! You little--!"

"Well, we meet again, Nick! Hee hee hee..."

"So, Nick, I see you're feeling better after that little run-in you had with my sword? Next time I won't be so careless...I'll be sure to finish you off!!"

"Hunter...YOU SET ME UP!!!"

"Tsk tsk tsk Nick...You wouldn't want any harm to come to the honored guest of this little meeting..." Jeff jumped down from the watchtower, landing on his feet. Nick found this strange, since the tower was at least 30 feet tall. He snapped his fingers.

"!!!!" Nick gasped.

Out of the door stepped Duo. Something was wrong with him. He had no emotion in his eyes. His face was completely blank. Siefer took him by the neck, and unsheathed one of his sword. He put it to Duo's neck.

"NOO!!! If you hurt him..."

"What will you do Nick? You're not capable of doing anything about this... If you called the police, that wouldn't help either. As long as the Blackheart Corporation sponsors the police department, I'm untouchable! And don't be so quick to anger. You know how Siefer has a problem with twitching."

"What do I have to do Blackheart!? What will it take for you to let my brother go?"

"Actually, I had something else in mind. How about you two duel to the death? Wouldn't that be a spectacle!"

"No!! You can't make me..."

"Actually, I can. If you refuse, I'll let you go, but Siefer kills your brother right now. Accept, and the winner of the duel shall live, while the loser...well, they'll find out exactly why it's called a Death duel."

"I don't have a choice but to duel then..."

"Then let the duel begin. Duo, put on your duel disk and duel Nick."

Duo followed his instructions. Duo didn't speak. He was a silent puppet under control of Blackheart. Nick wasn't sure how he was doing it, but was sure that if he tried hard enough, he'd be able to break Duo free of Blackheart's control and they'd escape.

"Hunter, please get back to work with programming the Spire's system. I'll record this duel for you. I know you'll enjoy it. Siefer, stay on watch, Nick may try something to get his brother away."

"Yes sir."

Jeff leaned back comfortably as a chair seemed to materialize behind him. Nick wondered how he did this as well, but his attention didn't waiver from the task at hand. He was in a Death duel with his own brother.

"Ah, nice and comfortable. Now you can start." Jeff reclined in his chair, making light of the situation, as if this was all to entertain him.

Duo: 4000 Nick: 4000

---

Duo took the first turn.

****

[I WILL SET ONE MONSTER IN DEFENSE MODE. SET THREE MAGIC AND TRAPS.]

Duo's voice was distorted by something...certainly something dark and evil.

"Duo, you have to wake up from whatever trance you're in!! Please!!"

"Nick, your attempts are futile. Just play the duel out before I get bored."

"Ugh...I'll summon Goblin Attack Force to attack your set."

****

[YOU ATTACKED MY CYBER JAR. I PICKED UP BEAST OF TALWAR, SANGAN, FAIRY METEOR CRUSH, SPIRIT MESSAGE "I", AND NEWT. SUMMON NEWT IN ATTACK MODE. SANGAN FACEDOWN DEFENSE MODE.] 

"I picked up Trap Master, Buster Blader, Lord of Dragons, Spellbinding Circle, and Hayabusa Knight. Summon three monsters in facedown defense and set two magic and traps. I end my turn."

****

[ACTIVATE DUST TORNADO. SET AND ACTIVATE MYSTICAL SPACE TYPHOON. NOW ACTIVATE DESTINY BOARD AND PLAY SPIRIT MESSAGE "I".]

__

"He's got his Destiny Board started...I'm running out of time to save him, and myself... What do I do...?"

****

[SACRIFICE SANGAN. SUMMON BEAST OF TALWAR. NEWT AND BEAST OF TALWAR ATTACK FACEDOWN MONSTERS.]

"My Hayabusa Knight and Lord of Dragons were destroyed. It's my turn now, so I'll flip Trap Master to destroy Destiny Board. Now, I'll play Monster Reborn on Hayabusa Knight and sacrifice both of them for Tyrant Dragon!!! Now...Tyrant Dragon, attack both his monsters!"

Duo: 2550 Nick: 4000

The great dragon attacked both of Duo's monsters, costing him a great amount of lifepoints, but Duo still has something up his sleeve.

****

[ACTIVATE OUIJA BOARD. NEWT'S ABILITY ACTIVATED. TYRANT DRAGON'S ATTACK LOWERED 500.]

"What? Ouija Board?! I end my turn..."

****

[PLAY DEATH MESSAGE "E". REMOVE THREE FIENDS FROM GRAVEYARD. SUMMON DARK NECROFEAR IN DEFENSE MODE. SET MONSTER IN DEFENSE.]

"I'll attack your set monster!"

****

[DESTROYED NEWT. NEWT'S EFFECT ACTIVATED. TYRANT DRAGON'S ATTACK LOWERED 500.]

"No...That means my Tyrant Dragon is lowered to 1900... I can't do anything else. End my turn."

****

[PLAY DEATH MESSAGE "A". PLAY GRACEFUL CHARITY. DISCARD LA JINN, SUMMONED SKULL. REMOVE THREE FIENDS FROM GRAVEYARD. SUMMON DARK NECROFEAR IN ATTACK MODE. SWITCH FIRST NECROFEAR TO ATTACK MODE. ATTACK TYRANT DRAGON, ATTACK DIRECTLY.]

Duo: 2550 Nick: 1500

Nick was off balance this whole duel. He couldn't let his brother win, but he couldn't let his brother lose. An impossible situation. Nick decided that maybe, if he gave his life, Duo would be safe, but Nick hadn't quite given up yet. There may still be something that could get him out of this tight spot.

"I don't have a choice....I'll play Change of Heart on your Dark Necrofear have it attack the remaining Necrofear! Now both are destroyed. I'll set a two magic and trap cards facedown and end my turn."

****

[PLAY DEATH MESSAGE "T". REMOVE THREE FIENDS FROM GRAVEYARD. SUMMON DARK NECROFEAR. PLAY CURSE OF THE MASKED BEAST. SACRIFICE DARK NECROFEAR TO SUMMON THE MASKED BEAST. ATTACK DIRECTLY.]

"I'll activate DNA Surgery and call the type Dragon, and then activate DRAGON CAPTURE JAR!! Now your Masked Beast is forced into defense mode."

"Oh, poor Nick, next turn, when Duo completes DEATH, you'll lose!! OH! This is great!!" Jeff was sitting back in his chair, enjoying a sandwich.

__

"He's right...but where'd that sandwich come from?" 

"Actually, hold on a minute here, I want Duo to be able to see the moment he sentences his own brother to Death." Jeff stood up from his chair and took a few steps towards Duo.

"What are you doing Blackheart?"

"You'll see..."

A dark energy started emanating from Jeff. He radiated with a dark glow as he reached into Duo's chest.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!!"

Jeff's hand emerged holding a black blob which glowed in the same way Jeff did.

"This is the purest form of Darkness. I put it inside Duo myself. That is how I controlled him...I used my powers of Darkness to force my own will upon his heart..."

"You monster....You're the only one here who should die!!"

"Watch that mouth of yours, punk... I have a grasp on this city that will never break! Now if you don't mind...Continue your duel."

"Duo...Are you in there?"

"Nick...Just do it...Finish me off...I know you can."

"Yeah but at the end of this turn I lose the duel!"

"I saw the look in your eyes when you drew that card...You were never able to hide it when you got a game breaking card...so please....I'd rather die than become a slave to this Corporation again!!!"

"I...I-I....can't do it..."

"PLEASE!! FOR ME, you MUST!"

"If that's what you want Duo...Than it'll be my last favor to you.... I'll play Dark Hole to destroy your Masked Beast...Then I play Card Destruction, and play Premature Burial on my Buster Blader. Now I'll play Mystical Space Typhoon on my Dragon Capture Jar, allowing my Buster Blader to attack. This is what you wanted Duo, I'm sorry...."

Duo: 0000 Nick: 700

"No...Thank you Nick..." Tears came to both the brothers' eyes...

---

Everything was silent for a moment. To Nick, this moment seemed like years. His brother standing in front of him, tears forming in both their eyes. Siefer with a sadistic look in his eyes, seeming like an angry dog about to be thrown a victim to maul. Jeff Blackheart, standing, radiating a light formed from Darkness, looking pleased at what had just happened. Jeff broke the silence.

"Ah, so Nick, you've decided the winner of this little Death Duel. You, Nick, as winner, get to live. And Duo, I'm sorry, but you're going to die."

"How should I do it, sir?" Siefer took unsheathed one of his swords.

"No. I'll take care of this one myself. Just hold Nick down so that he can see everything."

Siefer slowly approached Nick, who was still in shock of what he had just done. He held him steady so that he faced his brother. Nick didn't bother to struggle. Duo just fell to his knees out of weakness.

"I'll assume that you want to keep this, as a "memento" of Duo." Jeff walked up to Duo and took his Duel Disk and tossed it in front of Nick. Nick just looked on in disbelief.

"Now, Duo...Any last words for your brother?"

"Nick.. I'll always be there at your side. No matter what, I'll always be there to be your strength and support you. Take care of Auntie for me, and--"

Jeff backhanded Duo across the face.

"That's enough now, we all have things to do." Jeff's hand glowed in the same way it did before. It was covered with a strange black material which formed itself exactly to his hand. It then grew larger into a claw-like shape, which he used to pick up Duo.

"Nick, don't forget what I said...AGH!!!" Jeff tightened his grip around Duo.

"What kind of monster are you...?" Nick finally spoke.

Jeff didn't respond, he just continued to squeeze the life out of Duo. The claw then dropped off of Jeff's arm, and as Duo fell to the ground, it wrapped around his body, binding him from movement. Jeff was missing a hand, but a new one regenerated from the same black material as before.

"Now Nick, you ask me what kind of monster I am? I'm as human as you are. I just happen to have a few special talents. Be quiet and watch as I use the powers of Darkness to end your brother's life!!"

Jeff extended his arms out to his sides as if he was drawing in strength from his surroundings.

****

"Forces of Darkness, hear my call,

Day will end eternally and night shall fall,

The end shall come for my enemy,

In light I am blind, in Darkness I see.

Lend me your power, your eternal might,

Lord Mephisto, allow me to extinguish his soul's light!"

"!!!" Nick was startled hearing the word Mephisto as Jeff chanted his spell.

__

"Mephisto...where did the name of this city come from?!?"

Beneath Duo a circle a blue flames formed. The strange black membrane wrapped around him loosened. It released him, but he had nowhere to go. The membrane made its way back to Jeff and became a part of him again.

"Now that I've cast my spell, it's just a matter of time until your brother is dead. Any last words for him Nick?"

"Duo, I lo-"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I guess not!! Siefer take him away."

"NOOOOOOO!!!!!!" Nick was being carried away, struggling to say those words to his brother.

As Siefer threw Nick outside along with Duo's Duel Disk, locking the gates behind him.

"BLACKHEART!! YOU HEARTLESS MONSTER!!! I'LL COME AFTER YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE!!!"

"AAGHHHHHHH!!!!!!" Nick could hear his brother's screams. He fell to the ground as everything went black.

The flames grew stronger as they tormented Duo. He couldn't hold on any longer, he felt as if he should just give in to his own demise.

"Duo, I hope we never meet in the next life. You're not a very good employee. Although, I'll never get to the next life!! AHAHAHAA!!!"

"You laugh at pain and agony....Black..heart.... but you'll never know love and compassion."

"Ha! I laugh at you because you're going to die!!!! Now I've got three words for you. GO TO HELL!!!!!! HaHAHhahhAHAHhHahahHAHAAAA!!!!!"

The flames engulfed Duo and he screamed out in pain.

"I thought about finishing you off quickly, but where's the fun in that? Although, I'm a busy man, so good-bye. Siefer, clean up this mess once it burns itself out."

"Yes, sir." Blackheart walked back into the Spire.

The flames further consumed Duo. The fire burned, and nothing was left except a strange dark blob, made of the same material Jeff seemed to be composed of. Siefer picked it up and brought it into the Spire with him. Nick lay outside the gates, unconscious.


	7. Heads or Tails?

Chapter Seven: Heads or Tails, Even or Odd?

Nick woke up. He was in his room, beneath the covers of his bed. Was everything that just happened a dream? Nick opened his eyes and looked around the room. He saw Laurna, Tony and Jason.

"Wh-what? How did I end up here...?" Nick wasn't fully awake yet, and the events that transpired only hours ago had not yet set in.

"We all decided to check on you when you hadn't contacted us a few hours after you left. Jason drove us to the Spire and we saw you outside the gates. You probably fainted or something. You were holding onto your brother's Duel Disk when we found you." Laurna looked incredibly concerned.

"What happened in there? You had to have seen your brother if you found his Duel Disk." Tony said with an inquisitive look.

"You guys...I don't wanna talk about it right now. I just need some time to myself. I appreciate your support and all, but right now I need to be alone so I can think..."

"C'mon Nick, we'll help you through whatever--"

Laurna cut him off.

"Tony, if he needs to be alone, let him be. He'll talk when he's ready."

"Oh okay. Well if you need me Nick, I'll be at home."

"I'll be at Tony's house doing research about Blackheart. Just call if there's anything we can do." Jason and Tony left the room.

"Well, I'll stick around until Auntie gets home. If you want me to leave you alone I can wait downstairs."

"Actually Laurna...." Nick sat up in his bed.

"Yeah? What is it?"

"I'll tell you what happened, but please, promise you won't tell Auntie, Tony, or anyone. I don't want them to know....But I trust you the most, and you know I don't keep anything from you."

"It's not a problem. But you _will_ tell them later right?"

"I'll deal with that later, if I decide to. But I need you to help me. If I told Tony or anyone else, they'd probably blab about it to everyone and have a whole mob storm the Blackheart Corporation's buildings. But you're the one with the cool head, and you can help me the most."

"Well..." Laurna smiled. "Spill it already."

"..." Nick hesitated a bit. "This is really hard to say....Duo might be dead..." Nick's face had a serious expression Laurna had never seen.

"Oh God...." Laurna's eyes widened.

"He forced the two of us into a death duel. But I think that Duo may still be alive. I can still sense him...Like he's not gone. I couldn't really tell what Blackheart did to him, but I don't think Duo was killed. Blackheart was using some sort of weird magic or something to control him. He used the same type of thing to cast a spell of some sort. He covered Duo in flames, but they weren't burning him. He was screaming in pain, but physically, he wasn't being harmed."

"So you think that whatever Blackheart did to him...Didn't kill him?"

"Well whatever it was, I don't believe that Duo is dead....yet. I'm afraid that whatever happened, will eventually kill him. That's why it's important that I get into the finals so I can enter the Spire. When I get there I think I'll find Duo."

"So how can I help?"

"I figure if all of us, you, Tony and I, get into the finals, we'll definately find Duo. I just need you to hold onto my Decoder Devices until we all have enough to enter the finals. Blackheart will definately send his eliminators after me because I may know too much."

"Hmm...That makes sense. I can do that."

"Here, take one of mine. I'll need to hold on to one so I can duel. I'll give you more of them until we have enough for us to enter the finals."

Laurna took the Device and nodded.

"Right now, I'm going to find someone to duel. I don't think it's a good idea for you to come along. Keep Auntie company for me. I'll be back later."

Nick got out of bed and slipped his shoes on. He grabbed his Duel Disk and went downstairs with Laurna.

"See you when I come back Laurna."

"Be careful out there." Laurna took a seat on the couch and picked up the phone. She called her parents to let them know she was at Nick's. She then sat patiently waiting for Nick's Aunt to come home from work.

---

Nick walked down the street looking for anyone with a Duel Disk. His eyes were burning looking for an opponent. He was determined to do anything to get his brother back. He could still sense his presence. Somehow he just knew that Duo wasn't dead. He ended up in the southern section of New Mephisto, a place he wasn't very familiar with. Nick looked at his surroundings to see many apartment buildings and several small markets. It seemed he came upon a small residential area. Across the street, there was a map posted up near a bus stop. He rushed to it to find out exactly where he was.

__

"Hmm...if I turn around here and go three blocks west, I'll be at the park. There's always some duelists there..." 

Nick turned around, but he bumped into a woman holding some shopping bags. Nick fell to the ground.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, I didn't see you there."

"It's ok. Are you hurt?"

"No, I'm fine." Nick brushed hiimself off and looked on the ground and saw a stuffed toy the woman had dropped.

"Okay. As long as you're not hurt." The woman started to walk away.

"Hmm....that voice sounds familiar to me...." Nick saw the stuffed toy on the ground again. He picked it up. "Oh excuse me! Ma'am? You dropped your pen....guin...." The woman turned around. It was Principal Sheratt.

"Oh! Nick! It's you....Well thanks. I didn't notice I'd dropped it." Maggie snatched the stuffed penguin from Nick's hands.

"So, you've got a thing for penguins huh? I would've never guessed."

"Well, Nick, I see you're more observant that I would've ever guessed. I would ask for a rematch so I could crush you again, but I don't have my Duel Disk with me."

Nick let out a small sigh of relief. "Hmm...Don't underestimate me. I've gotten more skilled since we last dueled."

"Then maybe you'd like to duel my friend? He's waiting in the car, maybe I should get him?"

"Sure I was looking for some competition anyway."

"Ha! You'll be sorry you ever said that Nick. Follow me, my car is another block down this way."

Nick followed Maggie to her car. He saw another familiar face waiting for him.

"Mr. Marcus!! You and Principal Sheratt are friends?!"

"Actually, Nick...we're engaged."

"That's surprising...."

"And why is that?" Maggie indignantly looked at Nick with her hands on her hips.

"Uhh...Uhh...Forget I said that. Let's just get this duel started."

"Okay. Nick, you'll have the honor of the first student to lose to me this school year."

Nick: 4000 Mr.Marcus: 4000

---

Maggie took a seat on the hood of the car after putting away her shopping bags.

"I'll place one Decoder Device on the line. Let's decide who goes first with a coin toss. Heads or tails?"

"Heads."

Mr. Marcus flipped the coin.

"It's tails. I'll go first."

"Go ahead."

"Okay Nick, I'll start with Jirai Gumo in attack mode. I'll then set two magic cards and end my turn."

"Hm, I'll play Gearfried the Iron Knight in atttack mode. I bet you wouldn't dare attack me with Jirai Gumo's effect. I'll now set a magic card facedown."

The iron warrior stared down the giant spider, poised to strike.

"So you wanna make bets with me, huh Nick? I'll have you know that I happen to have a gambling problem. You don't want to push me that far."

"He's right, last month he lost $6000 in a poker game...That's a lot coming from a teacher's salary..." Maggie said. She looked really relaxed as she watched the duel continue.

"I thought we weren't going to mention that to anyone?" Mr. Marcus looked a bit annoyed.

"Someone had to bring it up."

"No, I didn't think that needed any discussion."

"Actually, your gambling problem almost cost me my wedding ring!!"

"Oh, trouble in paradise!" Nick laughed.

"Be quiet Nick, let's just continue." He drew a card. "I'll summon a second Jirai Gumo in attack mode! And you bet me I wouldn't dare attack... I'll take you up on that. I'll attack with Jirai Gumo, and it will destroy your Gearfried. However, before I attack, I have to flip a coin. If I call it correctly, my attack will go unpenalized. However, if I call it wrong, I will lose half of my lifepoints. So I'll call heads."

Mr. Marcus flipped the coin high into the air and caught it. He put it on the top of his other hand and looked.

"It's heads. Aww...Too bad."

The giant spider wrapped its legs around the iron warrior and squeezed the life out of it. Gearfried's armor finally gave and the spider's legs pierced him.

Nick: 3600 Mr. Marcus: 4000

"And now since your lifepoints are clearly open for an attack, I'll attack with my second Jirai Gumo! Say goodbye to more than half your lifepoints!"

"No, I don't think so. I'll activate my facedown magic card, Offerings to the Doomed! Destroy Jirai Gumo!"

"Hmph. A minor loss. Unfortunately for you, your magic card makes you skip your next draw phase. I don't think that you're in any position to be making such a gamble."

__

"Ugh...He's right! Not being able to draw beats losing 2200 lifepoints, but I have to use the cards I have in my hand now. If I can just hold him off for this turn, I'll be able to draw again."

"I won't be able to do much to you this turn, so I'll set a monster in defense and end my turn."

"That's all? I expected more from a person who owns a rare card like Tyrant Dragon. Too bad I'll be taking it from you! I now summon Time Wizard!"

"What?! That means you'll be able to destroy my monsters without attacking!"

"I see you've been doing your homework...I'll be sure to grade it. Now, Time Wizard, activate Time Magic! Now I have to flip a coin in order for his effect to work. I'll call tails this time."

Time Wizard's magic staff spun around like mad. It awaited the outcome to the coin flip.

"NOO!!! It's heads...That means that my monsters are destroyed and I lose lifepoints equal to half their attack power."

Nick: 3600 Mr. Marcus: 2650

"That puts me in the lead thanks to your little gamble."

"There are no more moves I can make, so I'll end my turn."

"Ok, I'll draw, and flip my Frontier Wiseman! Now I'll summon Dream Clown in attack mode. I'll send both of them to attack you directly!"

"I counter with Skull Dice! The number rolled will lower your monsters attack power!"

A wicked looking demon carrying a red die came from the trap card. It dropped the die, which landed on a six.

"Excellent, that lowers your monster's attack power to 1000 and 600...That makes me take minimal damage from your attack."

"It doesn't matter much. Your trap's effect only lasts for one turn. I'll place a trap facedown and end my turn."

Nick: 3600 Mr.Marcus: 1050

"It may look bad for me now, but when you take a chance, you never know what will happen. I'll play my facedown card, Change of Heart and take control of Frontier Wiseman. Now I'll use Monster Reborn on my Jirai Gumo and tribute them both for my Revolver Dragon!!"

Nick was incredibly intimidated as the mechanical dragon materialized on the field. He knew what was coming...

"I'll now play this magic card, SECOND COIN TOSS!!! Whenever I use a card that involves a coin flip, I can negate the flip and try again! So that means, I'll have two chances to destroy you! I'll also place one trap facedown, then activate Revolver Dragon's effect."

The dragon pointed the guns mounted on it towards the Dream Clown, as Mr. Marcus took out three coins.

"I'll toss these coins in the air, and if I get two or more heads, your monster is gone!"

He threw the coins into the center of the field.

"One heads... One tails....TWO HEADS!!! Say goodbye to Dream Clown! Looks like I didn't need Second Coin Toss with my luck..."

His Revolver Dragon shot the Clown three times, destroying it.

"Now, Revolver Dragon, attack Nick directly!"

"I'll use this trap, Spell Binding Circle! It will prevent your Dragon from attacking me!"

"I should've figured you wouldn't have played such weak monsters without a trap ready for me. Good move, Nick."

"Thanks...I'll make my move now if you don't mind. I set a magic card facedown, then I'll activate Card Destruction, so I'll discard the four cards in my hand and draw four new ones from my deck. You have to do the same with the cards in your hand."

"I discard three, then draw three."

"Now, I'll use the card I set facedown, Monster Reborn, to summon Buster Blader in attack mode! And since your Revolver Dragon is a Dragon type mon-"

"I think not Nick. Your Buster Blader has enough attack power to match my Revolver Dragon, and with its effect, it gains power for every Dragon I have. Unfortunately for you, my Revolver Dragon is a Machine type!"

"Damn, I forgot about that, but I'm not done yet. I'll summon my Goblin Attack Force and equip it with United We Stand! That increases its attack power by 1600 points! 3900 attack power is more than enough to destroy your Revolver Dragon! Now, Goblin Attack Force, strike down his Revolver Dragon!"

"Actually, I was hoping you brought out a monster to attack me. I'll play FAIRY BOX! So now, if I call this coin toss correctly, your monster's attack power drops to zero!"

Mr. Marcus flipped a coin. "I'll call heads."

The coin landed in the middle of the field. "Hm...tails. I guess I'll try again with my Second Coin Toss. I'll call heads again."

Nick watched eagerly as the coin landed.

__

"I can't look....."

Nick's Goblin Attack Force stopped rushing towards the mechanical creature, and the Goblins dropped their clubs.

"It was heads. Your Goblin Attack Force had its attack power dropped to zero. Now you'll take 2600 points of damage, and your monster is destroyed!"

Nick:1000 Mr. Marcus: 1050

"Now the score is nearly even, all thanks to my little gamble. Are you going to attack me with your Buster Blader?"

"No... I'll just set these two magic and trap cards." Nick looked a bit angry as he ended his turn.

"I'll pay 500 lifepoints to keep my Fairy Box in play. I'll use my Dragon's effect again."

Nick: 1000 Mr. Marcus: 550

Mr. Marcus tossed three more coins to the center of the field.

"One heads. One tails. Two tails...Damn!"

"Mr. Marcus, before you try and use Second Coin Toss, I'll destroy it with my magic card, Mystical Space Typhoon!"

"Again, this is only a minor setback... I'll decimate your monster soon enough. I set this trap card facedown and end my turn."

__

"Whew, that was close...My heart is beating like crazy."

"I draw, and then I set a monster in defense mode. That's all."

"This duel should be over soon enough, I'll pay 500 lifepoints again to keep Fairy Box in play."

Nick: 1000 Mr. Marcus: 50

"I'll now activate Revolver Dragon's effect." He tossed another three coins. "Ahah! Three heads! I'll destroy your facedown monster."

"It was my Mysterious Guard."

"Ah, looks like I've saved myself from a bit of trouble. Now I'll finish this duel! I'll play Dust Tornado on Spell Binding Circle! Then, I summon my third Jirai Gumo in attack mode. I'll attack Buster Blader with Revolver Dragon, then Jirai Gumo will finish you off! Say goodbye to that Decoder Device of yours!"

"In calling that attack, you've taken a big chance. You didn't take my facedown trap into consideration! I play DNA Surgery, and then call the type Dragon!"

"What?! No! That will make all the monsters on the field into Dragons!"

"Yes, and that boosts my Buster Blader's attack power by 1000 points! More than enough to destroy your monster and your remaining fifty lifepoints!"

Buster Blader lunged and sliced the Revolver Dragon in half.

Nick: 1000 Mr. Marcus: 0000

"Great duel, Nick. You've put me in my place. You're a great duelist Nick. You'll make it very far in this tournament. Take my Decoder Device and Time Wizard card."

"Thanks Mr. Marcus. I'll see you at school. I've got to go."

Nick walked towards the park, looking for another challeger. He had three Decoder Devices. One more, and he'd be able to enter the finals. He just had to wait until Tony and Laurna had enough to enter with him. With great intent in his heart, no one would stand in his way.

Mr. Marcus scowled a bit.

"Don't worry, honey, I'll get him later..." Maggie said.

"I know. I know. Let's go home." The couple drove away.

"Now let's talk about that gambling problem or yours...I heard there are programs for that..."

"Not this again..." Mr. Marcus rolled his eyes.


	8. Ace in the Hole!

Chapter Eight: Ace in the Hole!

Nick continued on his way to the park at the center of New Mephisto City. He was courageous and had enough intent within him. Nick wasn't going to let Blackheart's eliminators bully him into being afraid to duel. Blackheart had sent out his eliminators in order to lengthen the tournament. Nick, on the other hand, wanted the finals to begin as soon as possible.

__

"There are always duelists in that park. Someone there has to have the guts to duel while those eliminators are around...I'm not afraid anymore. I have to do this for Duo!"

And so, Nick made his way to the park. It was nearly 5 PM. The sun would set soon, so Nick hurried to find an opponent. He asked anyone with a Duel Disk if they wanted to duel, but none of them had a Decoder. They had all lost to the same person. When asked, they all replied with the same name.

"Ace Sotras."

"Ace, eh? He must think he's a real hot-shot duelist. I'll put an end to that. Where can I find him?"

"I last saw him over by the fountain. He was dueling with some old guy."

Nick walked to the middle of the park and saw a duel in progress. A young man wearing all black and a blue shirt was dueling an elderly man. Nick could hear a lot of chatter from the gathered crowd.

"Hey that's the guy who's here at the park everyday feeding the ducks...I didn't think that geezer knew about Duel Monsters..." A group of kids were in awe as they watched the match.

"Yeah, but Ace is so cool! He gave me $200 and some rare cards for my Decoder Device."

__

"Hmph, so he's that type of guy. Throws around money just to look like he's better than everyone. I'll burst his bubble."

Nick continued to watch the duel. The elderly man was using a Deck Destruction deck, while the other duelist was using a Warrior themed deck. This got Nick's attention.

"Hehe, I've got you now, Ace. I flip my Needle Worm! You have to discard the top five cards in your deck! Now I'll attack with Bisto Butcher. You lose 1800 lifepoints. My Butcher's effect allows you to draw two cards, but thanks to my two Robbin' Goblin trap cards, you have to discard two cards from your hand." said the elderly man.

Ace looked as if he didn't care.

"Those cards weren't a very big loss, and this duel is pretty much over anyway."

"What's wrong with today's youth? So disrespectful and arrogant... I'll end my turn."

"Hah, I'll end this now so you can get back to feeding the ducks, geezer. I would say good game to you, John, but I'd be lying. Or would you prefer me to call you Mr. Doe out of respect?"

"Don't mock me, you whippersnapper!"

"I'll use Raigeki to destroy your Bisto Butcher. Then I summon Marauding Captain, and summon Hayabusa Knight through my Marauding Captain's effect. I'll equip my Hayabusa Knight with United We Stand, raising its attack strength to 2600! And since it can attack twice, it will be more than enough to wipe out your remaining lifepoints! Hayabusa Knight, attack him directly!"

"Hold your horses there youngin'! I play my trap card, Mirror Force!"

"I'll counter with Seven Tools of the Bandit! I'll lose 1000 lifepoints, but it negates your trap. And since my Hayabusa was free to attack, you lose! And not only that, but thanks to the tournament's rules, you're stuck with a Negative Lifepoint Time Penalty!"

A voice came from the crowd.

"Geez Ace, that was harsh. You didn't need to attack him again!"

"Yeah I did. Old geezers like him need to be put in their place. Now hand over your Decoder!"

"Fine, here just take it!" John shoved the Decoder in his hand.

The old man stormed off, as he looked at his Duel Disk that read -3600 lifepoints. He grumbled under his breath.

"Darn youngsters...no respect for the elderly..."

"I have five decoders already? I didn't realize that. Anyone else want to take me on? Soon I'll have enough to enter the finals twice! Ha ha ha..."

Nick stepped foward.

"I'll duel you, Ace! You disrespected that kind old man for no reason! And I heard you paid off some kid to give you his Decoder! If you're a true duelist, you should be able to beat me easily!"

"You're right, I should. I've seen you duel before, you're nothing special. I'll duel you for my sixth Decoder, and to finish off my day, I'll make sure you have a Negative Lifepoint Time Penalty that will last you the whole tournament!"

"I doubt it, I've had over ten-thousand negative lifepoints when I encountered one of Blackheart's eliminators! And that was before the tournament even began!"

The crowd broke out in laughter.

"HA HA HA!!! You're just a joke! If that happened to you before the tournament began, I'd hate to hear about how you're doing in the tournament!"

__

"I really shouldn't have said that...I really did just embarrass myself..."

"I've got three Decoder Devices. I'll wager one to duel you."

"Whatever, more for me."

"Let's begin!"

Nick: 4000 Ace: 4000

---

"Hm, I've heard about you, Nick. You're the one that caused to much trouble at the Blackheart Plaza during the Commencement Ceremony. I'll be sure I finish you quickly."

"Don't underestimate me, I'll put up a good fight, and I'll win!"

"Whatever. Go ahead and make the first move."

Nick was slightly nervious. He saw the way Ace dueled against Mr. Doe. Nick assumed that Ace's deck was full of the rarest cards money could buy. Plus, the way he was dressed made him look like a king compared to Nick. Ace wore all black with a royal blue shirt. His gold wristbands reflected the light of the soon to be setting sun. You could tell he was rich by looking at him.

"I'll start by summoning my Goblin Attack Force in attack mode and equipping it with my Axe of Despair to raise its attack power to 3300. I end my turn."

"I play the magic card, Reinforcement of the Army to take a Warrior type monster from my deck. Next, I set two magic and traps facedown, then I'll summon my Marauding Captain, and use its effect to summon my Exiled Force! I tribute Exiled Force in order to destroy your Goblin Attack Force! Now, Marauding Captain, attack him directly!"

The Captain rushed Nick and slashed him with both of his swords.

Nick: 2800 Ace: 4000

"If you think I'm going to give up, you're wrong. This duel has just begun. And I need to do this for my brother."

"Your brother? You think you're the only one in this tournament for noble causes? I need to win in order to be an honorary executive at Blackheart Corporation."

"Why? So you can get more money?"

"No. I need to use their resources to find _my_ brother."

"I admire your dedication, Ace, but Blackheart has my brother captive....and I'm afraid there's not much time left for him."

"Hey! Don't try and sympathize with me! You're not going to make me go soft on you! Just make your move already!"

"I'll destroy your Marauding Captain with Dark Hole! Now I summon my Gearfried the Iron Knight then attack you directly!"

Nick: 2800 Ace: 2200

"That's nice. Are you finished?"

"I'll set two trap cards and end my turn."

"I draw, then play Graceful Charity. I draw three cards, then I discard my Sword Hunter and the A. Forces. Now I use my facedown card, Call of the Haunted! Revive Sword Hunter from the Grave!"

"This trap will destroy your Sword Hunter and remove it from play! Reveal Bottomless Trap Hole!"

Just as the Sword Hunter arose from the grave, it fell into a deep chasm never to return.

"Whatever. You wasted your trap. I play another Reinforcement of the Army and take the second Marauding Captain from my deck! I'll summon him, and use its effect to summon my own Gearfried the Iron Knight! I'll have it attack your Gearfried to destroy both of them! Now I attack you directly with my Marauding Captain!"

"I'll activate my second facedown trap, Michizure! I'll use it to destroy Marauding Captain and protect my lifepoints!"

"I'll counter with my Seven Tools of the Bandit. My attack goes through."

Nick: 1600 Ace: 1200

"I'll set another trap and end my turn."

"I'll set a monster in defense and set a magic card facedown."

"I play Change of Heart on your monster!"

"You took control of my Cyber Jar."

"I'll flip it in order to activate its effect. Now we both pick up five cards from our decks and show them to each other."

"I picked up Lord of Dragons, Dragon Piper, Trap Hole, Skull Lair, and Warrior Dai Grepher. I'll summon Lord of Dragons and Warrior Dai Grepher in attack mode, Dragon Piper in defense."

"I got Graceful Charity, Harpie's Feather Duster, Mage Power, Raigeki and Premature Burial. I drew no monsters so I'll just use Raigeki to destroy your monsters! Then I play Graceful Charity to draw three cards, and then discard my Seven Tools and Warrior Returning Alive. I'll summon Dream Clown and attack you directly!"

Nick: 400 Ace: 1200

"I use Change of Heart on Dream Clown and tribute it for my Luster Dragon! And Ace, nothing personal, but I need to do this for my brother's life! Luster Dragon, attack Ace directly!"

"Wait...what was that you said Nick? You activated Mirror Force?"

"Um, no I said I need to do this for my bro-"

"Oh wait! That's what _I_ did!"

The Luster Dragon's attack was reflected and bounced right back towards it, destroying itself.

"No...All I can do to defend myself is play Shallow Grave to bring back a monster in defense mode. I'll set one last trap and end my turn."

"I'll start my turn by playing Swords of Revealing Light! Your facedown card is revealed!"

"Perfect, because you flipped my Cyber Jar again! I picked up Witch of the Black Forest, my two Mystical Space Typhoons, Spell Binding Circle, and Mysterious Guard. I'll put Mysterious Guard facedown, and Witch of the Black Forest in attack mode."

"Ugh! I didn't pick up any playable monsters again! I picked up Mystical Space Typhoon, Magic Cylinder, Freed the Matchless General, and my Pot of Greed. I set three cards facedown, and play Pot of Greed. I end my turn."

"I set a trap card, and play Mystical Space Typhoon on one of your facedown cards!"

"You destroyed my Magic Cylinder."

"Excellent, next I use Mystical Space Typhoon on Swords of Revealing Light! Now I'll attack you directly with Witch of the Black Forest!"

Nick: 400 Ace: 100

"I'll end my turn."

__

"In one more attack, I'll be able to enter the finals! This is great, and I'm going to shut this arrogant duelist down!"

"I know what you're thinking Nick. You're thinking you're going to win! I won't let that happen. I've got a reputation to keep."

"I am going to win Ace, I'll play Skull Lair, so if you summon a monster, I'll be able to destroy it!"

"Did you forget about something Nick? A few turns back, I picked up my Harpie's Feather Duster! I'll use it to destroy all your magic and trap cards! Had you summoned another monster last turn, you would've won! But unfortunately for you, you hadn't thought of that!"

"Shut up already and go!"

"I'll be with you soon, brother...." Ace muttered to himself. "I'll use Monster Reborn on my Exiled Force to destroy your facedown Mysterious Guard! Next I'll play my facedown card, Warrior Returning Alive, to bring Marauding Captain from the graveyard to my hand! I'll summon him to the field in attack mode, then equip him with Fusion Sword Murasame Blade!"

"No...that means--!"

"Yes, you lose! I attack Witch of the Black Forest with Marauding Captain!"

Nick: 0000 Ace:100

"And you thought you were going to win... HA!"

"Here...take my Decoder and Tyrant Dragon, Ace."

"I don't want them."

"What?" Nick was surprised.

"I don't need them, nor do I want them. We're both in this tournament for a noble cause."

Nick was confused at such a change in Ace's personality.

"It truly was a good game, Nick, but I don't need all those Decoder Devices. Keep yours, you'll need them."

"Thanks."

Ace extended his hand to Nick for a hand shake.

"It was nice meeting you. I hope to see you at the finals."

The two shook hands, and Ace left the park as the crowd start to leave. The sun was about to set as well.

"Nick, we'll meet again in the future." Ace said to himself as he was leaving.

Nick looked down at his hand. Ace had left something. A Decoder Device.

"Wow, that Ace guy is pretty decent after all..." Nick smiled. "I finally have enough to enter the finals...I just have to be there to support Laurna and Tony until they're able to enter... I better get home, it's starting to get late."

---

Meanwhile, at Blackheart Headquarters...

"Zane, come in." Jeff Blackheart called for his assistant to enter.

"Yes sir? What do you need?"

"I want you to become one of my eliminators."

"I'd be honored sir, but why?"

"Don't question my orders. But if you must know why, I need you to fill in for Siefer while he works on projects within the Spire. I feel as if the finals will begin soon. There are already several duelists that have collected enough Decoder Devices. I want you to make sure that there aren't enough duelists with four Decoder Devices until the Spire is ready."

"As you wish, Mr. Blackheart, sir. I'll get my deck prepared and be out on patrol first thing tomorrow."

"Good. Now continue on with your regular duties for now."

"Thanks you sir, I will."

"On your way out, send in Hunter."

"Yes, sir."

Zane walked down the hallway, and looked for Hunter. He found him talking to one of the Eliminators, Dianah Vanderlaan. A twenty-one year old woman who had been working with Blackheart Corporation since she was eighteen. She had green hair and wore a headband with a picture of big leaf on it. She was dressed in a tan colored blouse and wore earth colored bell bottoms.

"So, Dianah, after your patrol tonight you want to go to dinner?"

"Sure, but not with you. You little bug-eyed freak...Heh." She laughed.

"Hunter! Quit flirting with Dianah and get to Mr. Blackheart's office!"

"Yes Zane, right away!"

Hunter walked down the hallway to Blackheart's office. He knocked on the door.

"Hunter? You may come in."

"Did you need me, Mr. Blackheart?"

"Yes, I want to know how your progress is going with the Spire projects."

"Construction is 68% completed, and the system configurations are 53% complete. It should take no more than a week to get it up to at least 90%."

"And in no more than a week will enough duelists be able to enter the finals!" He slammed his hand down on his desk, breaking it in half.

"Please sir, calm down. We're all trying to work as fast as possible. If it helps, we've set a trap for Nick and his friends. This time, I'm sure it will work."

"It damn well better work. You won't like me when I'm angry, Hunter. You know what will happen. I know I'll have fun watching Nick's friends suffer. He's not going to get away with insulting my honor. I don't get any amusement from the events that happen around here, so this should be fun... Are any of your other projects ready?"

"We've established the other eliminator's stations around the city. They're hidden within everyday normal structures, no one will be able to find them without an eliminator activating it. One of them is already set up for our little trap."

"Good. Anything else?"

"The chef says your meatball sandwich is ready. Should I have them bring it in?"

"Yes, please do. You may go back to your work at the Spire now. Thank you."

"Thank you for your time, sir. I'll get back to the Spire."

---

"I'm home!" Nick said as he came through the door.

There was no answer.

"Hello? Anyone home? Auntie? Laurna?"

__

"Maybe Auntie gave Laurna a ride home."

Nick went into the kitchen to check the bulletin board.

"If they left there would've been a note left here."

He walked into the living room, seeing if anyone was around. There was a note stuck to the TV.

"What the...?"

He read the note:

"We have your Aunt and your precious, precious, Laurna. If you ever want to see them again, you'll come to the abandoned warehouse at the wharf, tomorrow at 4:30 PM. If you're not there, they will face the same fate as Duo did.

-Jeff Blackheart"

"AGH! That, son of a- It's obviously a trap...but I don't have a choice. I won't let Blackheart do to them what he did to Duo!!"


	9. Trial By Fire!

Chapter Nine: Trial By Fire!

Nick couldn't sleep that night. Not with Blackheart holding his Aunt and Laurna. Who knows what that sadistic, evil man was doing to them. Nick sat at his desk, blaming himself for all that happened. If he had just shut his mouth and not caused any trouble, none of them would be in this situation. His Aunt, Laurna...Duo. He didn't know what to do. If he told Tony, he'd be putting him in danger. All he was doing was sitting there, blaming himself for all that's happened. He didn't know what kind of action to take in this situation.

__

"Blackheart's just playing his sick little games with us because I insulted him. This is all my fault... Blackheart has been through a lot in his life, and he's taking his anger out on us. I have to figure a way to give Blackheart what he wants without putting anyone else in danger... This isn't going to be solved easily..."

Nick looked at the clock. It was 2:27 AM. He decided to go to bed, since he had to wake up in a few hours.

---

Nick woke up the next morning at 10:42. Too late for him to go to school, so he decided to stay home and try to think up a plan on how to deal with Blackheart and his goons.

__

"Whatever Blackheart has in store for me, it'll probably involve his eliminators. That will mean they'll want me to duel them in some sick game. I have to make sure my deck is ready for them. Blackheart likes to see me in pain, especially after what he's done with Duo... I said that his life has been easy, without any idea of what he has been through himself. I have to put an end to this madness, and put Blackheart in his place."

Nick sat in his room for hours, trying to put together a new deck, a deck that was ready for Blackheart's eliminators, and maybe Blackheart himself. He searched for any cards that could help him. If it was a duel that Blackheart wants, Nick was going to be sure to give one to him.

__

"An evil man like Blackheart should never be allowed to start a business empire. He indeed has a grasp over this city that no one will be able to break alone. That's why I need my friends to be there with me to help bring Blackheart down."

Nick stepped out onto the balcony outside his room.

"Blackheart!!!! I'm ready to end this!!" he called out into the winds.

__

"It's nearly 3:45 I better get going..."

Nick picked up his Duel Disk and rushed out of the house.

---

Minutes later...

Tony and Jason arrived at Nick's house.

"Jason, thanks for giving me a ride here. I was a bit worried that Nick wasn't at school. Laurna's mom has also called the police since she's been missing."

"Whoa Tony, wait a minute, the door's open. Stay here and I'll check things out." Jason took a stun gun out of his glove compartment.

Jason went into the house slowly. After stepping into the living room, he noticed the note laying on the table. He picked it up and read it. He quickly got back to his car and showed the note to Tony.

"If I know Nick well enough, he's already on his way there. We have to hurry!"

"I'm on it! Let's go!" Jason started up his car and sped off.

---

Nick rode his bike along the shore, making his way to the wharf as fast as possible. For him, it was a matter of life and death. It was almost 4:30, and the wharf was in his sights. He dismounted and walked towards the abandoned warehouse. There was a note on the door that read, "Come in, Nick. We've been waiting." They were expecting his presence. They knew that Nick wouldn't back down. Cautiously, he entered the old, rundown warehouse. It was pitch black.

"Hello? Anyone here?" A light came on, revealing Jeff Blackheart, standing in the center of the warehouse.

"Welcome, Nick. How've you been? It was such a long time since we last met."

"Cut the crap, Blackheart! Where's Laurna and my Aunt?"

"Oh, you'll see in just a minute. No need to be impatient. And I don't think you should be trying to make demands!"

"Enough, let's duel Blackheart! If I win you'll return my Aunt, Laurna and Duo! Come on! Right now!" Nick had no fear this time. If he lost, he would have nothing left to fight for.

"Nick, again, I advise you to be a little more patient. The time will come for me to defeat you, but in the meantime, allow me to introduce you to another one of my Eliminators!"

Another light came on, shining onto a teenager with fiery red spikey hair. He wore a pair of leather pants, with a deep red tunic. On his wrists were ruby colored gauntlets, and he had a Duel Disk strapped to his arm.

"Meet Ryosuke Nomura. You may have fire in your eyes, Nick, but Ryosuke has fire running through his veins! He'll be your opponent today, and as for your Aunt and your little friend Laurna, well, you can see for yourself."

All the lights inside the warehouse turned on, and near the far wall, Nick's Aunt and Laurna were both tied to a wooden stake.

"What's going on here Blackheart?!"

"Actually, Ryosuke will explain. I have an appointment. This should help the two of you get acquainted." Blackheart exited through the backdoor.

"Heh, well Nicky, as you can see, the stake is surrounded by lots and lots of kindling and wood. Perfect for a fire." Ryosuke had a gleam in his eyes at the mention of fire. "I would duel you, but I heard you already have four Decoder Devices. So, instead of dueling with you, maybe I should just light you on fire!"

"You sick freak! Let Laurna and my Aunt go now!"

Ryosuke picked up a blow torch and lit it. "Perhaps I should light the fire now? I can't duel you because you're already qualified for the finals! I'm sorry you didn't think to bring someone with you...so unfortunately, you have to say goodbye to your Aunt and Laurna!"

"NO! I won't let you!" Nick ran towards Ryosuke, but was grabbed from behind.

"I won't let you stop him Nick." It was Siefer, hookswords and all. "You'll stand here and watch more of your loved ones die!!!"

Ryosuke smiled as he approached the wooden stake, and was about to ignite the kindling with his blowtorch. Nick's Aunt and Laurna were struggling to get free, but to no avail. They couldn't scream for help because they were both gagged. Nick was struggling to free himself from Siefer, but he was too strong.

"AUNTIE!!!! LAURNA!!!!!" Tears started to form in his eyes.

Out of nowhere, something struck Ryosuke's hand, making him drop the torch. As he reached to pick it up, he looked around to see what hit him. It was on the ground. A playing card.

"It's an Ace. Ace of Spades. That means that damn Ace Sotras must be around! Siefer! He's up by the window!"

Ace made a quick wink to Nick, and climbed out of the window.

"I'll take care of Nick, now go get him Siefer!" Siefer threw Nick down and ran outside with his swords unsheathed.

Nick got up and tackled Ryosuke down, and while he was down, Nick slid the blowtorch across the floor. Ryosuke recovered and punched Nick in the stomach, and shoved him down to the floor. Before Nick could get up, Ryosuke took out a remote and pressed a button. This lit fires across the whole warehouse, marking out designs in the floor, and tracing out a duel arena in the center.

"Okay, Nick! That's it! I've had enough. Either you find someone to duel me right now, or I light you, our Aunt, and your girlfriend on fire."

"Why not just duel me? Are you afraid?"

"Yeah right, you're not in any position to be making threats. My orders are to only duel with those who are not qualified for the finals yet."

Nick started to sweat from the heat of the flames.

"What's wrong Nick? Can't stand the heat?" Ryosuke stood there as if he wasn't bothered by the flames.

"Fine, I'll give up one of my Decoders to duel with you."

"Hold on, Nick! That won't be necessary!" It was Tony, standing at the door. Jason was outside in his car.

"Oh, you must be Nick's friends. If any of you want to duel with me, bring it!"

"Tony, this is Ryosuke. He's an Eliminator. Would you like to do the honors and beat the crap outta him?"

"It's a little hot in here for my tastes, but I'll take you on!" Tony strapped on his Duel Disk.

"Then step into the circle of flames."

"No Tony, it's a trap!"

"Don't worry about it, I'll be standing inside of a circle myself." Ryosuke stepped into a circle outlined in the floor with flames. The dueling field was completely surrounded in flames as Tony stepped into the circle across from Ryosuke.

"This wall of flames is to prevent Nick or your other friend from trying anything during our duel. If you win, Tony, I'll set Nick's Aunt and Laurna free. Nick, if you try anything..." Ryosuke took out the remote he used before. "I'll press this button, and the whole warehouse goes down in flames. So this duel will go uninterrupted."

"Don't worry Nick. I'll beat this guy."

"We'll see about that! Now prepare yourself to feel the judgment of my flames of hatred!!"

Tony: 4000 Ryosuke: 4000

---

"Okay, Ryosuke who's going first?" Tony was already breathing heavily, and wiped the sweat off his brow.

__

"The heat has gotten to him already...This won't take long. At this temperature I'd be surprised if he's able to concentrate!" Thought Ryosuke.

"I'll make the first move. I'll start by summoning my Fire Princess in attack mode! Now I set two magic and traps cards, and play the field magic card, Molten Destruction! Raising the power of all my Fire monsters by 500 points, while lowering their defenses by 400. I'll end my turn."

A giant volcano appeared in the middle of the field, spewing molten lava and ashes all over the field. The image made Tony sweat even more.

"I'll place three magic and trap cards facedown, and set a monster in defense mode."

"I'll play the magic card, Rain of Mercy! Now both of us will gain 1000 lifepoints!"

"And I take 500 damage to my lifepoints because of your Fire Princess..."

"Ha, not only that, but because of my trap card, Bad Reaction to Simochi, you'll lose 1500 lifepoints!"

Tony: 2500 Ryosuke: 5000

"Now I'll play the magic card, Tremendous Fire! HAHAHA!!!!"

A fireball materialized and struck Tony. The heat intensified, and Ryosuke took some of the impact and some damage to his lifepoints as well.

Tony: 1500 Ryosuke: 4500

"I'll end my turn..." Ryosuke smiled as if the end was near.

"I'll draw, and then play the magic card Raigeki to destroy Fire Princess!"

A Thunderbolt struck the Fire Princess and cleared the field of its threat.

"Next, I'll summon my White Magical Hat! And I'll attack!"

Tony: 1500 Ryosuke: 3500

"And since my monster did damage to you, a card must be discarded from your hand!"

"Argh! The only card in my hand was my Monster Reborn!"

"Before I end my turn, I activate Time Seal! You won't be able to draw next turn!"

"You think that you've got me right where you want me, don't you? I'll play my facedown card, Upstart Goblin! I get to draw a card, and you'll lose 1000 lifepoints!"

"Not today, I'll use Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Bad Reaction to Simochi! I'll gain 1000 lifepoints!"

Tony: 2500 Ryosuke: 3500

"And now your field is clear, except for your Molten Destruction."

"I won't let this happen! I'll use the card I just drew, Pot of Greed! Now I'll draw 2 cards! Next, I'll summon the monster, Lava Golem, to your side of the field by sacrifcing your monsters!"

"What? You can't do that...You're only allowed to sacrifice your own monsters to summon!"

"Ah, but Lava Golem is a special monster. I'm allowed to sacrifice two of your monsters to summon it, and during yor Standby Phase, you'll lose 1000 lifepoints! I'll end my turn with setting this trap card. Now you feel the burn of my Lava Golem!"

"I'll draw, then and I lose 1000 lifepoints."

Tony: 1500 Ryosuke: 3500

"I wouldn't want to keep that Lava Golem on the field, so I'll get rid of it with Dark Hole. I'll set this monster and this trap card, then I end my turn."

"I'll draw, and play Rain of Mercy, and end my turn."

Tony: 2500 Ryosuke: 4500

"Nothing to defend yourself, eh Ryosuke? Looks like your Rain of Mercy has cooled you down. I play my trap card, Time Seal! Then, I'll flip over my Fiber Jar! It looks like this duel has just begun!"

As soon as Tony flipped over his Fiber Jar, it appeared on the field, releasing energy that returned all the cards in both players hands and graveyards to their decks, then Ryosuke and Tony drew five new cards from their deck.

"I've got to thank you for giving me those lifepoints, because now I can play Delinquent Duo and Confiscation! Three of those new cards you just drew must be discarded to the graveyard!"

"You little...I discarded my Lava Golem, Ring of Destruction, and Tremendous Fire."

"I'll draw two more cards with Pot of Greed, then I play The Forceful Sentry!"

"No! That leaves me with one card in my hand!"

"I'll send Raigeki back to your deck."

Ryosuke scornfully looked back at Tony as he shuffled the card back into his deck.

"Not only that, but I'll summon White Magical Hat, and then attack you directly! That causes the last card in your hand to be discarded."

"Good going Tony! Now go for the Yata-Lock!" Nick cheered from the other side of the wall of fire.

Tony: 500 Ryosuke: 3500

"You have left me with nothing left to defend myself. And not being able to draw this turn worsens the situation. I can't do anything so I'll end my turn."

"You call yourself an eliminator? I'd call you _eliminated_! I'll summon Yata-Garasu! Both my monsters will attack you directly!"

The gentleman thief and the Eight Giant Crows both attacked Ryosuke, nearly knocking him back into the wall of fire.

Tony: 500 Ryosuke: 2300

"I believe that is the match. You're locked down."

"Fine...I concede." The flames died down a bit. "You're all free to do whatever you want. I'm outta here."

"Hey, I beat you, so I deserve a Decoder Device!"

"Whatever...Here." Ryosuke threw a Decoder Device towards Tony, he caught it.

"And that makes three for me... We'll all be at the finals soon!" 

"Tony, if you don't mind, I need some help getting Laurna and Auntie free..." said Nick, who was already trying to untie the ropes that binded them.

Suddenly, they heard a loud cackle coming from the door.

"HAHAHAHA!!! Here's a little personal gift from me!" Ryosuke took out his remote and pressed the button, which lit up the whole warehouse in flames.

"Nick! Tony! Just worry about getting them out of here! I already called the fire department!" Jason yelled from the front door. Just then, some of the roof fell in, blocking their path to the door.

"Looks like we'll have to get to the backdoor." Nick said. "At least it's a bit closer."

"Okay, I've got Laurna free. How's your Aunt?"

"I've just got to get this knot off..."

"Hurry Nick, the fire's getting closer!" his Aunt cried out.

"Okay, I've got you, now let's get out of here!"

The four of them ran outside, Jason had moved his car to the back.

"Come on, get in! I'll bring you guys to the hospital to get checked, just to be safe."

"Thanks," Laurna coughed. "We owe you."

"Now, Nick, what was all that about?" Tony asked.

"I think it's time we all had a little talk, especially about what happened when I went to the Spire that one day...

And so, Nick explained everything to them, including why Blackheart had been after Nick all this time. Jason drove them to the hospital, leaving the fire department to handle the warehouse fire. Luckily, all of them were still in good health, uninjured by the incident. Except for Nick, his blood pressure was a bit high.

"Well, Nick, you need to relax a little more. It's probably just the tournament, and you're really excited about it." the doctor said.

__

"If you only knew..." Nick rolled his eyes.

"If we're all clear, let's just go home...It's been a long day..." Nick's Aunt said.

"Yeah...Let's go. I'm tired." Nick replied.

"So what did the doctor say to do about your blood pressure?" Laurna asked.

"He said to duel less. That shouldn't be a problem since I have all four Decoder Devices I need!" Nick smiled.

"Yep, that's right good 'ol Nicky, winning two Decoders in one day...So Jason, we ready to go?"

Jason was talking to a nurse. "And so I pulled them out of the burning warehouse..." The nurse giggled.

"Jason! Come on! That wasn't you, it was Nick and I!" Tony yelled.

"Uhh..." Jason wasn't sure what to say. "Uhh...Umm... What was that Tony? We're all ready to go home? I'll be in the car." Jason quickly walked away.

Nick laughed, but his emotions quickly changed. This wasn't the end of everything. Blackheart was still out there, and he wasn't done playing his sick mind games with all of them.

---

At the Blackheart Corporation Headquarters...

"WHAT?!" Blackheart slammed his fist through the wall. "You mean Nick's friends showed up, and defeated you?!"

"I'm sorry, boss, but I only followed your orders." Ryosuke looked at the floor of Jeff's office. "You told me to duel any duelist who challenges me, and I couldn't duel with Nick, so I dueled that Antonio guy."

"RAARRGGH!!" He grabbed a painting off the wall and hurled it across the room, shattering the frame and putting a dent in the wall. "You were supposed to kill them. You were to duel with Nick, and have his Aunt and little girlfriend die in from of his face while he could do nothing."

"A thousand pardons, sir. I wanted to test my own abilities." Ryosuke avoided eye contact.

"I get it. You're a headstrong teenager... Which is exactly why you failed me!"

"What is my punishment going to be, sir?" He was scared, Blackheart was unpredictable when he was angry.

"I won't punish you, Ryosuke. You've been one of my favorites every since I took you under my wing. Next time, follow my orders. Now get out before I change my mind!"

"Yes, sir." Ryosuke rushed out of the office.

"That kid... He's disappointed me in almost every way. His youth, his burning anger, his fury, and his pure inner rage is what keeps me from getting rid of him..."

****

[IT WILL NOT MATTER ONCE DARKNESS RULES OVER ALL.]

"Yeah, that's true. Once the construction is complete, Darkness will fall upon the city!"

****

[YES. ALL IN DUE TIME. I WILL HAVE MY VENGEANCE. I WILL DESTROY THOSE WHO RID THE WORLD OF MY PRESENCE!]

"If only those bumbling idiots would do something right, we'd have time to complete the construction... I'll be sure to provide a distraction for them, so that you may arise once again! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"


	10. Hope of Tomorrow

Chapter Ten: Hope of Tomorrow!

"My name's Laurna Hope!" the thin, purple hair girl introduced herself. "I'm a volunteer, and I'm here to help you plant the new garden!"

It was the Saturday following the incident at the warehouse. Everything had gone back to normal, and during the days following that incident, they were all left alone by the Blackheart Corporation. It was a typical Saturday, Laurna was doing some volunteer work at a park, helping plant a new garden, Jason was around town, dueling any and all opponents. Tony went to a card shop with Nick. All was calm and undisturbed. Nick had explained all that happened, and everyone had learned to deal with the fact that Blackheart's cronies might be pop up anywhere at any possible time. They were ready for whatever Jeff wanted to throw at them. Duo's absence bothered Nick's Aunt the most, but the rest of them believed that they would find and free him from Blackheart's grasp, all they needed to do was get into the right place.

"Something isn't right, Tony." Nick said as they browsed around the card shop. "Blackheart has left us alone these past few days."

"Well, I don't mind. This way things are a lot less hectic. We don't have to schedule our days around duking it out with that Jeff Jerkheart's Eliminators. Plus it gives me more time to spend time with the many ladies of Antonio." Tony nudged Nick with his elbow.

"Yeah, right! We both know you're only interested in Laurna, and like that will ever happen... Haha!" Nick picked up a couple of booster packs from a box.

"You're just jealous 'cause you're not a ladies' man like the 'Great Womanizer: Antonio!' My flip effect is attract any girls within fifty feet!"

"Oh, I think you meant," Nick looked at the card he was holding, and pretended to read it, "As long as this loser remains face-up, no girls will be attracted to him. There is no cost to activate nor to maintain this effect. Yeah, that makes more sense."

"Shut up! Haha... When we're done here you wanna go see how Laurna's doing at the park?

"Sure, you ready to go?" Nick said.

"Gimme a second, I'm trying to decide which ones I want." Tony was picking up booster packs and holding them up to his ear.

"Uhhh, what exactly are you doing?" Nick looked at him, confused.

"I'm trying to sense the rare cards... Be quiet for a minute." Tony continued with his odd behavior.

"Okay, I'm going to go pay for my boosters now then." Tony ignored him.

"Hello, Nick. What can I do for you today?" The kind old man at the register said.

"I decided on these packs. Oh! You're the man who was dueling with Ace in the park!"

"Hehe, yes, that was me. I'm surprised you didn't recognize me when I walked right by you."

"Well, here you go." Nick handed him a few folded bills.

"Thank you," John handed him his change. "Have a nice day youngster!"

"You're welcome. Tell my friend I'm waiting for him outside."

"Sure, I'll do that." Nick went outside to open his booster packs.

Nick waited outside the card shop for Tony and opened up his boosters.

__

"Awww...A Curse of Dragon? That won't do me much good, even with my new deck."

Tony came out of the door, holding a few opened boosters.

"Hey Nick, did you get any rare cards?"

"Not really, I got a Curse of Dragon, it won't be much useful to me, but it looks kinda cool. I did get that second Flute of Summoning Dragons I needed though. I got a couple of Gravity Binds if you need them."

"That won't be necessary. I've already got enough of them." Tony held up a couple of cards. "And as you can see, I pulled a Swords of Revealing Light, a Premature Burial, and a Mirror Force!"

"What? Now how did you do that?"

"I told you, my senses...They never fail me!"

"Whatever, let's go see how Laurna is doing." They both started on their way to the park.

"So should I reveal my secret of how to pick rare cards to you?" Tony asked.

"Hm, let me see that Mirror Force for a second..."

"Sure." He handed the card to Nick. He examined it for a minute.

"Hey! This is _your _Mirror Force! You just took it out of your deck and put it in the booster before you showed it to me! You liar! Senses my ass..."

"Haha...Okay, you got me. I don't always do that, but it's so fun to mess with you, man. Isn't that Mr. Marcus coming out of that courthouse over there?"

"Yeah, it is. You wanna go talk to him?"

"He seems a little mad, are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Not really, but lets talk to him anyway. We're his students, so he can't really do anything to us."

"Especially in front of a courthouse, haha." Tony laughed.

They approached Mr. Marcus who was sitting on the steps outside the courthouse.

"Hi Mr. Marcus! What are you doing here at the courthouse?" Nick asked.

"Hello, Nick, Tony. Well, I'm here taking care of some papers and settlements for my recent divorce."

"Divorce?" Tony had no idea about this.

"Nick might know about this, but I'm going to get married to the principal of New Mephisto High, Maggie Sheratt. So I needed to clear up a few things before that was going to happen."

"Oh, I see." said Nick.

"I've got to go, I have another appointment to get to. Good luck with the tournament guys!"

"Okay Mr. Marcus, I'll see you at school on Monday." said Tony.

"Tell Ms. Sheratt I said hello!" said Nick.

"I will. See ya later." Mr. Marcus picked up a briefcase and left.

"I didn't know about that, how come he said you might know Nick?"

"Well, I had a little duel with him for my third Decoder, and it came up."

"Oh. Okay, well you wanna go to the park now?"

"We were on the way there anyway, so yeah, let's go." Nick and Tony continued on their way to the park.

---

Laurna was helping plant some flowers in a small enclosed area behind a statue of an angel. She was carrying a few potted flowers which she was going to plant in the soil. Laurna was working, minding her own business. A girl came up behind her, but she didn't notice.

"Excuse me, but you're not doing that right..." The girl said.

"I'm not? What's wrong with the way I'm doing it?" Laurna asked.

"Well, first of all, you have to make sure the root systems of the plants don't crowd each other. And second of all, I don't believe we know each other. I'm Dianah Vanderlaan. What's your name?" she smiled kindly at Laurna.

"I'm Laurna Hope. Nice to meet ya!"

"Nice to meet you too, Laurna. Do you come here to volunteer often?"

"Oh, not really, usually I'm busy with my Track Team. We didn't have practice today, so I decided to help out here."

"That's nice of you... We could always use more help around here. I come here to volunteer around three times a week."

"It must be nice to be around nature so much, huh?" Laurna continued planting the flowers.

"Yeah, I love being outdoors, around trees, all of this..." she breathed in deeply, as if she were taking in all the wonders of nature. "It's just so peaceful."

"When the Track Team is done this season, maybe I'll come here more often, and we can hang out!"

"That would be really nice." She smiled at Laurna again, as her green hair fluttered in the wind.

"Am I doing this right?" Laurna asked as she was planting another flower in the soil.

"It's good enough. It doesn't have to be perfect. That's what I love about nature the most. You think I can help you plant the rest of those flowers?"

"That'd be really cool. Okay, I'll finish up on this side, and you start from the opposite end."

Laurna and Dianah worked late into the afternoon. Working together, they filled up a large patch of soil with a variety of flowers. As they were just finishing up, Nick and Tony had shown up. Nick and Tony were talking with the coordinator asking where Laurna was working.

"So Laurna, why don't we get cleaned up and go get something to eat? I know a nice little place a couple blocks away from here." Dianah said.

"Okay," Laurna stood up and brushed some dirt off her pants. "Hey I think I see someone I know over there!"

"Really? Bring them over, maybe they would like to join us."

"M'kay! Nick, Tony! Over here!" called Laurna. They walked over.

"Hi Laurna. How's the volunteer work going?" asked Nick.

"It's good, my new friend Dianah helped me out."

"Really...New friend, huh? Well what are you waiting for, introduce us already!" said Tony.

"She's a bit old for you Tony. Hey Dianah, these are my friends Nick and Antonio."

"Hello. I was going to take Laurna out for something to eat after we got cleaned up. Would you like to join us?" Dianah was extremely friendly.

"Would I?!" Tony was excited.

"Um, Tony, like I said before, she's too old for you."

"Hehe, I'm flattered, Tony. How about you Nick?'

"Sure, I don't see why not."

"Since we're done out here, let's get going. I parked my car near that corner over there. It's the green convertible. Go ahead, I'll be right there."

Dianah made sure the three of them were far enough away so that they wouldn't hear her. She took out her cell phone.

"Boss, it's working. I'm going to take them out for a little lunch, then let them fall right into my trap..."

"Excellent work. I hope you have more success than Ryosuke. Keep in touch." said the muffled voice coming from the phone.

Dianah walked over to the driver's side of her car and got in.

"I just had to check my messages. So now let's go!" she drove off.

---

The ride lasted only a few minutes, as their destination was close by. Dianah's green convertible pulled up in front of a small sandwich stand.

"Okay, we're here. You guys can go ahead an order what you want. It's on me. I need to make a call to a friend." Dianah said as she stepped out of her car.

The three of them got in line behind a few other costumers. Dianah took out her cell phone again.

"Hunter, is my station ready? As soon as we're done here I'm going to bring them."

"Just about, but be careful, the boss is pretty angry already since Ryosuke's failure."

"I know. I know how to deal with him, I've worked with him longer than you. Anyways, I've got to go."

"Okay, are we still up for dinner later?"

"Shut up Hunter." She hung up and got in line behind Nick, Laurna and Tony.

The four of them got their food and sat down at a small table in the shade. They all got to know Dianah better, asking where she was from, what kind of work she was into, and asking if she was into Duel Monsters...

"So Dianah, when you're not volunteering at the park, what kinda job do you have?" Laurna asked.

"I run the greenhouse about three blocks away from the shopping district. I make sure the plants are healthy."

"Wow, you must spend a lot of time around plants and nature." Tony said. "I've always loved plants. I have my own garden at home."

"Ha, you mean the houseplants your mom hangs on your front porch?" Nick was laughing.

"Shut up...." Tony's eyes shifted from side to side as he trailed off.

"Are any of you into Duel Monsters? If you want, later I can show you around my greenhouse and maybe we could have a little friendly duel. I've been wanting to win this tournament because with the money, I could do so much for nature..." Dianah said.

"Actually...We all are." Laurna giggled a little bit. "We're all in the tournament, and not to mention Nick here has four Decoder Devices already."

"Well Nick has been attracting trouble lately, I have three Decoders myself." Tony sat up straight to dignify himself.

"That's quite impressive, it sounds like in another duel you'll be qualified for the Finals just like Nick. How about you Laurna?"

"I've got two Decoder Devices. I haven't been around as much as these guys here."

"Maybe you can I should duel later. I've got two Decoders as well. Plus, even if a Decoder changes hands, there's no hard feelings right?"

"Yep, I'm sure there won't be any." Laurna nodded.

"I guess when we're done here, we can go see my greenhouse. Does that sound good?"

"Okay." The three of them agreed.

And so after they were finished, they all got back into the green convertible. Dianah drove them through the shopping district. She drove into a small closed parking garage and parked in a space that was reserved for her. Nick noticed that the sign above the space said, "D. Vanderlaan Parking Only."

"If you look over this walk way, you can see my greenhouse. It's right over this way." Dianah directed them towards the greenhouse.

"Whoa, that's one huge greenhouse..." Nick said as he noticed how far it stretched out.

"Yes, it covers over one whole city block. It's really expensive to maintain, but worth it when you see the different plants, flowers, and trees that grow here. They're used for all kinds of purposes like medicines, food, and lots more."

"Do you get paid for maintaining this place?" Laurna asked.

"Well, I get funds from various organizations and companies, and I get paid whenever I ship out a supply of plants for medical or commercial use. It's also a big tax write off."

"I'd love to have a place like this for my own. It seems like it would be so relaxing."

"Indeed it is...Sometimes I just come in here to think or just lay down. I'll open the door and let you guys in, I'll show you the different areas of the interior."

She took her keys out from her pocket and unlocked the front door. She led them into the greenhouse. Inside, it was like paradise. In one spot, it was like a tropical island, with a multitude of colorful flowers and plants. While in another, it was desert-like, with cacti and shrubery.

"After you take a look around meet me in the area that looks like a clearing in a forest. We can duel there, since there's enough space."

Nick was looking around the ground, like he lost something.

"What's wrong Nick?" Laurna asked.

"I think I dropped my wallet..."

"I'll help you look for it... Dianah, is it ok if we go back to the car for a minute?"

"Sure, I'll just show Tony around for awhile." Tony grinned when Dianah said this.

"Okay, let's go Nick, hopefully you dropped your wallet somewhere around here." Laurna and Nick went off to look for his wallet.

Dianah motioned for Tony to follow her.

"Okay Tony, I'll just give you the mini-tour. Over here is the Desert Area, notice the various cacti..." Dianah said as they walked along.

---

"So where'd you see it last?" Laurna asked.

"Uhhh, when I was at the card shop with Tony. I remember putting in my back pocket, and I could feel I was sitting on it while we were in the car...so hopefully it's there somewhere. It must've fallen out."

"Well, I'l take a look in the back seat and you check the front."

Nick and Laurna were searching around the car, underneath the seats and along the floor.

"I found it... It was under where I was sitting."

"Okay, good. So let's get back to the greenhouse."

"Okay...ouch!" Nick hit his head on the glove compartment. It opened up and some of its contents spilled out.

"Nick...so clumsy." Laurna said. "I'll help you pick that stuff up so we can get back."

"Laurna...take a look at this!" Nick said as he picked up some sort of ID card.

"I really don't think we should be looking at her--!!" Laurna stopped as she saw the ID card.

It was an employee ID card.

Nick showed her the card. "Dianah Vanderlaan, Blackheart Corporation Employee. What are we gonna do?"

"We should hurry back! Tony's alone with her!" Laurna and Nick rushed back.

"Argh! This must've been a trap the whole time!"

---

Back at the greenhouse...

Tony was sitting down on a tree stump in a small clearing in the forest area. Dianah was sitting on a large tree branch of a huge redwood.

"So Dianah, what kind of companies fund this place? They'd have to be pretty damn loaded to provide money to fund this place..."

"Well, one of them happens to be the Blackheart Corporation."

"What? I don't know if you know of the terrible things that Corporation does...but I suggest that you don't let them fund this place anymore. It may do much more harm than help."

"That's not important Tony. What's important is that we're finally alone." Dianah grabbed a branch on the side of a tree and turned it.

"Heh, looks like it. Nick and Laurna might be back any minute though."

"It won't matter because they can join in the fun as well..."

"I wouldn't think you're into that sort of thing, Dianah, but okay..." Tony got up off the stump.

"Just come a little closer Tony..." She pushed the branch into the tree, activating some sort of mechanism.

"Hey! What's going on here?!" Vines extended off a tree, sweeping Tony off his feet. The vines acted like tentacles as they wrapped around Tony's arms and legs, restraining his movement.

"Whoa Dianah, I didn't know you were into this sort of this, but okay..."

"Don't you get it, foolish little boy? You're right in the middle of this little game, brought to you by the Eliminators of the Blackheart Corporation." Strangely, Dianah had the same calm look she always had on her face.

"Then that means..." 

"I'm one of Blackheart's Eliminators. Sorry for my little friendly act, it was wrong of me to deceive you and your friends, but I'm under orders from Jeff Blackheart himself." 

"I thought you worked to protect nature." Laurna was standing at the doorway.

"I do. However, protecting the environment doesn't protect my bank account. There are certain expenses a woman such I requires, and Blackheart's salary covers that, and then some."

"You're nothing but a greedy witch! You masked your true nature and deceived us. I'll never forgive you! I trusted you!" Laurna was angry.

"Laurna look! Those vines are holding Tony down!"

"I'll deal with her, you go free Tony!"

"So Laurna, it looks like your true nature has shown itself. You're not the push over I thought you were."

"Okay Dianah! If it's a duel you want, I'll give you one!" She took out her Duel Disk and strapped it onto her arm.

"Before we begin, maybe I should direct your attention towards your friends back there."

The vines had taken both of them, restraining both Tony and Nick.

"Take a look at the floor below them." the floor opened up, revealing a pool of black sludge. "See that sludge down there? At the Blackheart Corporation, we like to call that Dark Matter. We used it to cultivate a special species of plant... When Dark Matter is diluted with water, it makes an excellent fertilizer, otherwise it's an extremely dangerous poison."

__

"Dark Matter...that must be what Jeff Blackheart was made of.... But he said he was still human... There must be some kind of explanation to this. Now isn't really the time to solve this, but at least now I've got a piece of the puzzle... Whatever is down there can't be good..." Nick thought.

"Show yourself! Rise from the Dark Matter, my baby!"

From the pool of dark sludge, something was stirring. It started to bubble. They could see feint movement coming from below. It emerged slowly, rising, revealing its form. It was like a huge set of jaws, with dozens of vines that had razor edged leaves.

"Meet my pet! All we began with was a small carnivorous plant. If you lose to me Laurna, I'll drop you and your friends into that pit. If you win, well, if I'm in a good mood, I'll let you all go."

The floor closed, covering the pit where the mutant plant was kept.

"Don't worry Laurna! Show her who's in charge!" Tony said.

"I know you can beat her! You can do it!" Nick said.

__

"We all have to do this... If that Dark Matter can transform a plant, I'd hate to know what it did to Duo while it was planted within his heart... That makes it more important for us to get to the Spire as quickly as possible! One step at a time...I'm not going anywhere while this plant has me in its vines." 

"Laurna, it's been nice knowing you. It really was, honestly. You've done a lot for nature just by helping out at the park today."

"Then why don't you just let my friends free and stop working for Blackheart!"

"Like I said before, that doesn't pay the bills. I know what I'm doing is wrong, but I don't have a choice. If I betray Blackheart, my family dies."

"Then help us! Help us fight Blackheart!"

"Nope, I can't do that. I can either betray Jeff, and risk my family's safety, or continue working with him, while getting paid hundreds upon hundreds of thousands of dollars. Hm? Tough choice isn't it?"

"I can't believe you let an evil man like that take advantage of you and your family. That's why the three of us fight... So Blackheart doesn't control our lives."

"So are we going to talk all day, or are we going to duel?"

"Fine. Hopefully, this will knock you back to your senses, so bring it!"

Laurna: 4000 Dianah: 4000

---

"I'll go first by setting a monster facedown in defense mode, and end my turn after I play the Field Magic Card, Gaia Power! All Earth monsters will have their attack power boosted by 500, while their defenses are lowered by 400."

"Okay, I'll set two magic and trap cards facedown, then I'll summon Gemini Elf in attack mode! With your Gaia Power field, it has an attack strength of 2400! Now I'll attack your facedown monster!"

"Hm...Looks like you attacked my Man-Eater Bug, so now your Gemini Elf is destroyed."

"Go ahead, I end my turn."

"I set a magic card facedown, then I'l play the Unfriendly Amazon in attack mode. I'll attack you directly!"

"I play my trap card, Waboku. It will protect me from your Amazon's attack!"

"If that attack had gone through, you would've lost more than half of your lifepoints. Good thing you had that trap. I end my turn."

"I'll play Pot of Greed to draw two new cards, then set a monster in defense mode"

"Before you end your turn, I'll play my facedown magic card, Scapegoat! I use it to summon four Sheep Tokens to the field."

__

"It looks like she wants to keep that Unfriendly Amazon on the field by tributing her Sheep Tokens... All I have to do is get rid of her Sheep Tokens or get something strong enough to destroy that Amazon and I'll be able to strike her lifepoints... But she's one of Blackheart's Eliminators, so she has to know what she's doing..."

"Okay, I draw, and tribute one of my Sheep Tokens to my Unfriendly Amazon. I'll set a monster in defense mode, then attack your set monster with my Amazon!"

"You attacked my Mystical Elf, but I'll activate another Waboku trap card."

The Unfriendly Amazon drew her huge sword, and was poised to strike down the Elf when three robed sages appeared, chanting a spell to protect the Elf.

"I'll draw for my turn, then I'll summon Thunder Nyan Nyan in attack mode. I switch my Mystical Elf to attack mode, then have both of them attack two of your Sheep Tokens."

"Bad move. I'll be able to take a large amount of your lifepoints because you attacked with Mystical Elf. My Amazon draws her power from the forces of nature, while your Elf draws hers from light. With Gaia Power in effect, my Amazon has an attack power of 2500, which means you'll lose 1700 lifepoints next turn. That is, unless you have another trap card down."

"I'll set two cards facedown and end my turn."

"Poor predictable Laurna... I tribute my last Sheep Token to keep my Amazon on the field. I play Harpie's Feather Duster to wipe out whatever trap card you had waiting for me."

"I'll counter with the trap, Magic Drain, meaning you have to discard a magic card from your hand to use your Feather Duster."

"There aren't any magic cards left in my hand, so you got lucky this time. I set a magic card, then I'll just attack your Mystical Elf with my Unfriendly Amazon."

"I play Negate Attack, ending your Battle Phase and negating your attack."

"Impressive, Laurna. While I had such a strong monster on the field, you've managed to hold on and defend against all my attacks. That will come to an end soon, however. I set a monster in defense mode and end my turn."

"Now to go on the attack! I'll summon a second Thunder Nyan Nyan! Now I change my Mystical Elf to defense mode. I'll play Mystical Space Typhoon on your Gaia Power to lower your Unfriendly Amazon's attack power to it's original 2000! Next, I'll use my Thunder Nyan Nyan to attack your first monster in defense mode!"

"If you're trying to make sure my Amazon doesn't have a monster to tribute during my turn, it's not going to work, honey. You attacked my Bubonic Vermin, destroying it, but allowing me to summon another one from my deck in facedown defense mode."

"If I attack your Vermin again, you'll be able to summon another one, so I'll attack your other facedown monster with my second Nyan Nyan!"

"Oh my! It only gets better from here, you attacked my Nimble Momonga! I gain 1000 lifepoints, and I summon two more from my deck!"

Laurna: 4000 Dianah: 5000

"I'll set a trap card and end my turn." Laurna was frustrated. It was like facing an impenetrable wall of monsters.

"I'll tribute my facedown Bubonic Vermin to my Amazon this turn, then I set a monster in defense mode. I'll play my facedown magic card, Gaia Power! It will replace the one you destroyed. I attack your first Thunder Nyan Nyan with my Unfriendly Amazon!"

"I'll counter with Mirror Force! Now Unfriendly Amazon is destroyed!"

"No... There's nothing else I can do this turn, so I'll end my turn."

__

"Oh, that Amazon is finally out of the way... Now if I keep attacking her monsters, she'll eventually run out of monsters to summon from her deck, then I'll finally be able to attack her directly!"

"I draw for my turn, then summon a third Thunder Nyan Nyan! I'll have two of them attack your Momongas!"

Laurna: 4000 Dianah: 7000

"You're giving me an extremely high lifepoint advantage Laurna...That may be a very bad choice on your part."

"Whatever...I'll attack your set monster with my last Thunder Nyan Nyan!"

"And it begins...Your end. You attacked my Giant Rat! Which means...I get to summon a monster from my deck that is Earth-based and has below 1500 attack power."

"That doesn't mean much, with Gaia Power on the field, that means you can match my monsters or be 100 points stronger at the most!"

"Don't be so naive Laurna. I choose Injection Angel Lily!"

The winged nurse appeared on the field, carrying her huge syringe. She put the syringe over her shoulder like how a soldier would hold a rifle, and taunted Laurna's Thunder Nyan Nyan with her free hand.

"And with all those lifepoints you gained, that means you'll have more than enough to activate her special ability!"

"Exactly, now if you don't mind, I'm going to take my turn."

"Go ahead..." Laurna was wrong. She hadn't thought about Dianah having such a rare monster.

__

"I should've known she'd have rare cards like Injection Angel Lily... She wanted me to attack her Momongas to make sure she had lifepoints to pay for her effect! I just can't focus when my friends are in danger...I need to calm down."

"I draw, and now I play the Dark Door. Only one monster may attack during each of our Battle Phases. Not that I need any more monsters, so this will surely hinder your strategy! Next, I'll attack your first Thunder Nyan Nyan with Injection Angel Lily!"

Injection Angel Lily glided towards one of Laurna's Thunder Nyan Nyan, and stuck it with the giant syringe in the stomach. It didn't seem like it had much effect on the Thunder Nyan Nyan, she just looked agitated.

"Now I pay 2000 lifepoints to raise my monster's attack strength by 3000! All the way up to 3900!"

The winged nurse then injected the contents of the syringe into Thunder Nyan Nyan, changing the expression on it's face from agitated to an expression of extreme pain as the contents of the syringe emptied into her. The Thunder Nyan Nyan then fell limp, impaled on the needle, and was destroyed, disappearing from the field.

"Looks like we both lose 2000 lifepoints. Although, that's not a big loss for me."

Laurna: 2000 Dianah: 5000

"It's my turn now, so I'll change all my monsters to defense mode, and set a monster in defense mode. I end my turn."

"Got you on the defensive now, eh Laurna? I'll equip my Injection Angel Lily with the Twin Swords of Flurry - Toraisu, discarding a card from my hand in order to activate it. Now, my Injection Angel Lily has its attack power lowered by 500, but it can attack twice during the Battle Phase!"

"You wouldn't use Lily's effect just to destroy a monster in defense mode would you? That'd be a big waste..."

"Well, you'll see what happens. I'll attack your Mystical Elf with Lily, paying 2000 lifepoints to destroy it!"

Laurna: 2000 Dianah: 3000

"You're making a mistake Dianah..."

"I know what I'm doing Laurna. I'm guessing that your facedown monster is not a Light-based monster, meaning if it were to turn face-up, your Nyan Nyan would be destroyed, so I'll attack it."

"My Giant Soldier of Stone is an Earth-based creature, so you were right to attack it... My two Thunder Nyan Nyan are destroyed."

"I'll pay the 2000 lifepoints to destroy your Soldier of Stone."

Laurna: 2000 Dianah: 1000

"I'm not quite done with my turn yet... I still have this magic card, Blackheart Call of the Dead: Gift From the Graveyard!"

"What? A Blackheart Card!?"

"This one is perfect to go with my Injection Angel Lily. By removing ten cards in my graveyard from play, I gain 2000 lifepoints! That leaves me with enough to activate my Lily's effect one more time! I end my turn."

Laurna: 2000 Dianah: 3000

"I'll make sure you don't get to use it's effect anymore! I play Change of Heart to take control of your Lily! I'll summon my Harpie Lady SB and have it attack you directly!"

Laurna: 2000 Dianah: 1200

"Your Harpie won't be on the field for much longer... I'll use Fissure to destroy it."

The ground beneath Laurna's Harpie cracked open. The Harpie struggled, but it finally fell into the ground.

"I'll attack you directly with my Lily, and since it's equipped with Twin Swords of Flurry, it can attack twice!"

Laurna: 1200 Dianah: 1200

"Looks like a stalemate... I'll end my turn."

"I don't think so Dianah... Remember that Stone Soldier you destroyed? I'm reviving it with Monster Reborn! Then I play Polymerization to fuse it with the monster in my hand!"

"What?! That means..."

"I summon Mystical Sand! And thanks to your Gaia Power, it has an attack power of 2600!"

"No...It's not possible... It's over for me..."

"Mystical Sand, attack Injection Angel Lily with your Earth Shattering Spear!"

Mystical Sand started to chant a spell, shaking the ground beneath it. A huge rock rose from the ground, and it was launched towards Injection Angel Lily, crushing it, and taking out the rest of Dianah's lifepoints.

Laurna: 1200 Dianah: 0000

---

"No! I couldn't have lost..."

"Face it Dianah, you lost to me fair and square, so hand over a Decoder Device."

Dianah was hesitant to do so, but finally gave in. "Here...take it. You do deserve it for beating me, and I should reward your skills as a duelist." She put the Device into Laurna's hand.

"What about my friends? Will you let them go?"

"Sure." She smiled. "If only I could control the plants around here. The control for those vines broke earlier. Anyway, I've got to go, so you deal with it. I have a meeting to get to. Have fun getting them down from there! Hahaha..." She headed for the door. "Oh yeah, and lock up here when you're done."

"Nick! Tony! Any ideas?"

"I don't know... Maybe you could break the vines with something?" Nick said.

"With what?" 

"There's some gardening tools in that room over there. Check inside!" Tony said.

Laurna ran over and rummaged through the shelves inside the room. She picked up a pair of hedge clippers.

"These should do! Just be careful because you might land somewhere that might hurt!"

"Laurna, I don't care as long as you get us down from here!"

"I don't care as long as I don't fall onto a cactus!" Tony yelled.

"Okay, here goes nothing..." Laurna took the clippers and tried to cut the vines.

"Laurna look out behind you!"

Laurna turned around to see a vine rushing towards her. "Ahhh!"

The vine knocked the clippers out of her hand, then more vines approached her, grabbing her arms and legs, raising them up to the same level as Tony and Nick.

"Oh great... Now how are we going to get down?" Laurna asked.

"Well, if these plants aren't active at night, they might eventually put us down..." Tony said.

"Just be glad that the floor beneath us isn't opening, and that we're not being eaten by that mutant plant!"

At that moment, the floor beneath them started to open.

"I guess I spoke too soon..." Nick started to squirm.

The vines just tightened their grip around the three of them as the started to lower towards the pit.

"I never thought I'd die being eaten by a giant mutant plant. Well, at least it'll be interesting to see inside that thing!" Tony joked.

"Now's not the time for your humor Tony...We have to get these vines off of us!" Laurna was becoming exasperated.

The huge creature emerged from the sludge once again. This time, it released it's own tentacles, and began to reach towards the three of them.

"Oh man, those things are really slimy looking..." Tony said.

"I think that's the least of our concerns, Tony."

The plant opened its massive jaws, revealing the entrance to its digestive track.

"Looks like this is the end guys... It was nice knowing you all." Laurna said as the plant's mutated tentacles started to wrap around Laurna's midsection.

__

"Please, someone save us..." Laurna thought.

__

I don't want to see my best friends die..." Tony thought.

__

"Duo...I'm sorry I couldn't save you..." Nick thought.

The three of them started to shed tears, and they closed their eyes, awaiting the end.

"Don't look so gloomy everyone! I'm here!" A voice came from above the pit.

"What? Who's there?" Nick called.

"None other than me! Ace Sotras! I'm here to save the day again!"

"Well hurry up! There's not much time!" Laurna screamed.

"Alright, alright." Ace took out a grenade and pulled the pin. "Eat this you freak of nature!"

Ace threw the grenade directly into the plant's digestive track. The force from the explosion killed the plant, sending vascular tissue everywhere. The tentacles and vines were shredded to pieces from the impact. Nick and Tony landed in the sand desert area.

"Whoa, that was close. There's a cactus a few feet in front of me."

"Forget that! Where did Laurna end up?!" Nick looked around frantically.

"Don't worry! I'm on it!" Ace said as he tied a rope to a tree. "Make sure this rope holds! I'm going in!"

Nick and Tony grabbed the rope and held on tight. Ace dived into the pit of sludge, searching around for any sign of Laurna.

"Okay! Pull up the rope!" Ace called from inside the pit.

Nick and Tony pulled the rope, and as they pulled, they could see Ace coming over the edge of the pit. Laurna was in his arms.

"Thanks Ace... You saved us again." Laurna said.

"Don't worry about it. What's important now is you. Are you alright?"

"Yeah, just covered in sludge..." Laurna laughed.

"Here take my jacket, you can wipe the sludge off."

"Thanks." Laurna smiled.

Nick and Tony were scowling at the sight of Ace being so friendly to Laurna.

"So why did you come to save us again Ace?"

"To be honest Nick, I've been keeping an eye on you. I know you're in this to save your brother, and I want to make sure you find him. Plus, I saw all those tentacles, so I had to stop this from turning into a bad Hentai movie."

"Yeah but Laurna still ended up covered in--"

Laurna interupted, "Anyway, thanks Ace. And also thanks for the last time you saved us. I never got an opportunity to thank you." she smiled again.

"Okay Laurna let's get going. Auntie can give us a ride home. I'll give her a call." Nick said.

"I can give you guys a ride, my car is right outside." Ace said.

"No, that's fine. We wouldn't want to hassle you."

"It's no problem, I have nothing better to do right now. Just tell me where you all need to--"

"Thanks for the offer Ace, but it's fine." Nick said sternly.

"Ace, really we should get going. I hope to see you again." Laurna said.

"Don't worry about the jacket, I have another one just like it."

"Thanks." Laurna said as she walked towards the door with Nick and Tony.

"Poor Nick... He must be getting jealous." Ace said to himself. "I knew that grenade I stole would come in handy... Oh well. I just hope that's the last time I have to bail Nick out of trouble..."

Ace left the greenhouse, locking the door behind him.


	11. Lockdown Showdown!

Chapter Eleven: Lockdown Showdown!

After all that had happened, Nick, Laurna, and Tony became even more aware that the threat coming from Blackheart and his Eliminators could be hidden anywhere. Laurna felt especially betrayed when they discovered that Dianah was an Eliminator. They realized that the city was no longer safe, making them all the more cautious when meeting new people.

As for their progress in the tournament, Nick was already qualified for the finals, awaiting the announcement that enough Duelists were qualified to enter the finals. Laurna and Tony were close behind with three Decoder Devices each. Of course, there were the other Duelists. There was of course, the wild card, Ace Sotras, who has been there to help Nick and his friends at every twist and turn. In addition, there were the countless others who entered the tournament.

Today was a seemingly normal Wednesday afternoon. Nick, Laurna, and Tony were all studying in the library afterschool. They were sitting at a table, with books and papers spread about.

"Okay, so the Blackheart Corporation building was built seventeen years ago. Blackheart had taken over the rights to print the Duel Monster cards and production of Duel Disk systems in this region. Industrial Illusions went bankrupt when he orchestrated a buy out of all major stockholders. Tony? Laurna? Are you listening to me?"

"Nope." said Tony as he continued writing in his notebook. "I have to turn this assignment in to Mr. Marcus before 4:30. I didn't have time to do it last night, so he gave me a break."

"Laurna, you're not paying attention either?" Laurna was daydreaming.

"Laurna? Do you hear me? Hello...?"

__

"Ace... I wonder where you are now? Are you watching over me?" Laurna sighed.

"Oh, Nick, did you say something?" asked Laurna.

"Yeah, I did." Nick was annoyed.

"Sorry...I was just thinking...about....something."

"Since we're not really getting any studying done, you guys want to just head home?" Nick started to pick up his materials and pack them away in his backpack.

"Okay. Just need a second..." Tony scribbled quickly on his papers. "Done!" Tony rushed out of the library with the completed assignment in hand, making sure he met Mr. Marcus' deadline.

"Laurna you want me to walk you home?" Nick asked.

She was spacing out again.

"What?" She woke up from her daydreaming. "Oh! Sure Ace--I mean Nick! Sorry that just slipped out."

"Whatever. Let's just wait for Tony to get back." Nick knew that she had been thinking of Ace.

__

"Ever since Ace had saved us... Laurna can't stop thinking of him! I could've saved us... At least I didn't steal a grenade!" he breathed out heavily and sneered at the thought of Ace. _"What am I thinking!? Am I...jealous...of Ace?!"_

It was silent and awkward. Nick knew that Laurna was starting to like Ace, Nick was jealous of Ace, Tony was jealous of Nick. There was a lot of tension between friends that was unspoken of. Laurna knew about Nick and Tony's feelings for her, but they promised each other not to let anything get in the middle of their friendship. Now that Ace was in the picture, things between them became even more complicated.

"Hey Nick, how did you do on that geometry test last week?" Laurna broke the silence.

"Oh I got 84%. How about you?" Nick knew she was just trying to make conversation, but he just went along with it.

"I got 100% on it... I thought it was easy, especially since I studied extra hard to make sure I..._aced_...it..." her voice trailed off.

Nick rolled his eyes. He could see Tony in the hallway, making his way back from Mr. Marcus' room.

"Oh look, Tony's back! We can get going now." Laurna exclaimed, as Nick continued to roll his eyes.

"Ready to go?" Nick asked.

"Yeah, just gimme a second to pack up my stuff." He shuffled some papers around and stuffed them into a folder. "There are a few errands I have to run though, so I'll probably only be able to walk with you guys about half the way. You won't mind will you?"

"Not at all. If we run into any of Blackheart's goons, I'm sure we'll be able to handle it."

"Yeah, Tony I'm sure Laurna and I-" Nick raised an eyebrow at Tony. "I'm sure the two of us will be fine without you."

Laurna turned around. "I think I know what's going on Nick... I'm standing right here, and I can hear the tone in your voice, hehe."

"She's right Nick! You should be ashamed of yourself!"

"Haha, you're one to talk about being ashamed! You're just about as bad as Nick!" She joked.

"Alright...Let's just get going before it gets late." Tony picked up his backpack.

The three of them left the library, joking and laughing, as if all was well in the world. Little did they know that they were being watched.

---

Meanwhile... Inside of a van parked outside the school...

"So... You want to know more about the Blackheart Corporation? Trying to snoop around getting information about us? They can dig all they want, but they won't find anything. Unless of course, we want them to. Right Hunter?" Zane said.

"Heh heh heh, yes sir... I made sure they only found out what we wanted them to know. That exactly how Nick fell into our little trap the first time." Hunter had been monitoring the school through the various security cameras.

"Well, all they've been doing is winning Decoders from us... While other Duelists duel each other for Decoders and their rarest cards, all we've been doing is supplying Nick and his friends with Decoder Devices! If any of us had a duel with someone with four Decoders, it would mean that we'd have to give up our rarest card if we lost. As Blackheart's Eliminators, we have to make sure that failure is NOT an option."

"True, but that's all that's been happening to us."

"I'm sure that if stall enough time for the construction at the Spire to be completed, the project will be successful, and none of this will matter.'

"Of course, but we still need to uphold the Blackheart Corporation's reputation." Hunter pushed his glasses up, since they were slipping off his nose.

"Exactly. That's why I'm going to take this matter into my own hands. I'd rather duel with one of them and give up a Decoder Device than have them win against an random amateur Duelist. This way, they don't get anymore rare cards to improve their decks, and they get confident that they were able to defeat Blackheart's finest Duelists. Duelists are out on the city winning the rarest cards from each other. Less than five minutes ago, I heard that a set of all five pieces of Exodia had changed owners as the result of a duel. All Nick has been able to get ahold of is a Time Wizard. And from who? His own teacher. At this point, it doesn't even matter whether we win or lose. At the current completion level of the Spire, everything should be ready in no time."

"You're right. Current completion of the construction is at 79%. That should be enough to host the finals. And while they're distracted with what we have in store for them, Blackheart will have everything he wants. And we'll be there standing victoriously alongside him."

"Keep monitoring them and let me know their every move. I'll keep behind them and strike at the perfect moment." Zane picked up his Duel Disk.

"I'll be sure to. Now hurry up before they get too far ahead."

Zane jumped out of the back of the van, leaving Hunter alone with his computer.

"Hmph. I should be Jeff's assistant. I do most of the work around here..." Hunter picked up a report of the recent duels the Eliminators had. "Ha! Laurna must be proud of herself for beating Dianah... Really now, would a Duelist of Dianah's caliber actually attack with her Injection Angel Lily and use it's effect to destroy a monster in defense mode? It's so obvious that Dianah was just going along with Blackheart's orders. Although, I can see why Ryosuke lost to Antonio. Ryosuke has a bad temper and doesn't play well with others..."

"Yeah I know. And no, you shouldn't be Jeff's assistant." Hunter heard Zane through his earpiece.

"I left this thing on didn't I?"

"Yeah, you sure did. Next time make sure the link is off when you want to say that you should have my job." Zane responded.

"Yes...sir...Mr. Takio. It won't happen again."

"It better not, I'm trying to practice stealth here as I follow them, and I can't be bothered by your constant whining."

"Whatever you say." Hunter pressed a button to turn off the link. "Sheesh, what a hardass."

---

Nick, Tony, and Laurna were walking along together when they came to an intersection.

"I guess this is where we split up. I'd walk home with you guys but I told my dad I'd take care of a few things for him at the Shopping District." Tony said as he looked down the road.

"Okay Tony, I'll see you later then. You too Laurna." Nick waved as he took the path opposite Tony.

"Bye guys!" Laurna turned the corner and started towards her house.

Zane was behind a low wall near the intersection where the three of them split up.

"Zane, Nick and Laurna are both heading to their homes. Tony is heading for the Shopping District. I suggest you go after him." Zane heard Hunter's message from his earpiece.

Tony walked along as he took out the list of errands he promised to complete for his dad.

__

"Okay... So I have to pick up some files from his client at the department store, make duplicates of the key to the padlock on the tool shed, and buy that wax for his car. Hm, this shouldn't take more than an hour."

Tony kept walking, not knowing what danger was lurking, waiting to strike at any moment.

---

As he found his way to the department store, Tony glanced about, as he wasn't used to being by himself.

__

"Boy, it'd really suck to run into Blackheart's cronies right about now. Nick has been able to deal with them by himself before, but that hasn't gotten him anywhere. Oh well. I better just stay on guard."

Tony cautiously entered the department store, making his way to the manager's office in the back. Inside he saw a heavy set man sitting at a desk.

"Hello, Mr. Gordon? I'm Antonio Nicosia, Richard Nicosia's son."

"Ah, hello!" he stood up to greet him. "You must be here to pick up those files for your father. It's nice to meet you." He extended his hand.

"Same here." Tony shook his hand. "I can't be here long, though. My dad has me running errands."

"Oh, of course! That father of yours is quite the workhorse, and he sure is reliable. I'll have my secretary get them for you, it'll be but a minute."

"Thanks. I'll just wait outside then." Tony stepped outside of the office.

__

"So far, so good. No sign of Blackheart here." He thought.

Mr. Gordon peeked his head out of his office. "Antonio? Here they are." He handed Tony a folder. "I've got an important phonecall, but it was nice meeting you. Good-bye!"

Before Tony could respond, Mr. Gordon ducked back into his office. He put the folder in his backpack then walked out the way he came in.

---

Tony was walking towards the auto shop where he was going to buy the car wax for his dad, when he passed by a shop he'd never seen before.

__

"Hey...was this locksmith always here? Oh well, I should check it out since I can probably get those duplicates of the keys here."

Zane followed behind him, staying few steps back to avoid detection.

"Zane, he is heading inside YOUR Eliminator station. This is almost too perfect. He's going to be caught in a trap we haven't even set!" Hunter said through the earpiece.

"Good, I'll let the guy watching my station know about this. He can set something up for him." Zane took out his cell phone.

"Hello? This is Zane. Who's watching my post?"

"Hello son. Blackheart told me I could work at this shop." Apparently, it was Zane's father, Hiro.

"Oh...well dad, you might want to leave as soon as I show up, because I have to take care of a job there."

"You mean you're going to do your job as an Eliminator?"

"Yeah, there's one of the kids that's been causing trouble for us nearby, and he's heading for the store."

"Oh, I'll just wait in the backroom, then I can just press the button for the security doors to close when you give me the signal."

"See? You're actually enjoying being part of my work at Blackheart, now aren't you? You used to be so against it..."

"I've got to admit it, I am enjoying this. I actually get to spend some time with you this way."

"I know. Well, get ready, because he's about to go in."

"Okay, see you in a minute." Hiro hung up.

---

Tony entered the store, and Hiro greeting him kindly.

"Hello, what can I get you today?"

"I need a couple of keys duplicated." Tony searched his pockets. "Here they are." He took the keys from his pocket and set them on the counter.

"Okay, it'll be about ten min-" he stopped because the phone in the backroom started ringing. "Just a minute, I'll be right back."

Hiro picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Dad, it's time. As soon as you hear the front door close, activate the security doors to lock me and Tony inside the shop." Zane said.

"Right. Ready when you are."

---

Zane entered the store and was sure to slam the door behind him. Tony didn't mind the noise as he just leaned on the counter waiting for Hiro to come back from the back room.

"Antonio Nicosia, I presume...?" Zane said.

"Who wants to know?" Tony turned around to see who was behind him. His eyes immediately widened, as he saw the logo for the Blackheart Corporation embroidered on the stranger's jacket.

He turned around to see a young man not much older than himself, wearing an odd mix of blue, green and black. He wore a necklace with a small padlock on it, and around had chains wrapped around the ends of his sleeves. His hair was jet black, his eyes an eerie shade of green.

"You're one of Blackheart's eliminator's aren't you?" Tony questioned him.

"Oh, I'm much more than that. I'm Jeff Blackheart's personal assistant. My name is Zane Takio." Zane said as he stood confidently.

"If you're looking for trouble, let's take this outside. There's an innocent man back there that doesn't need to get involved."

"You're wrong, Tony." Zane snapped his fingers.

The entire store went pitch black, Tony couldn't see a thing. All he could hear was the sound of metal shifting and the movement of gears.

"Welcome Tony, to my own special Dueling Ground. Looks like you decided to get your keys duplicated at the wrong locksmith."

As the lights came back on, Tony viewed his surroundings. He could see that he was still surrounded by four walls, but on each door were two doors. Each of them had a huge lock on it.

"Now Tony," Zane was now holding a huge key. "If you defeat me in a duel, I'll give you this key. However, getting out of here won't be so easy. You won't be able to just put this key into each of the locks until one of them works. Each time you get it wrong, the lights are shut off, and all the locks are switched around. If I'm the one who wins, than you'll be stuck in here forever. I can come and go as I please to this place, while you cannot escape without this key."

"Then what are you waiting for? Let's duel!" Tony was all ready and fired up.

"Your enthusiasm will turn to utter despair and panic. You will never see your friends again." Zane activated his Duel Disk and inserted his deck.

Zane: 4000 Tony: 4000

---

Meanwhile... at the Blackheart Corporation Headquarters...

"I've called this meeting to inform you of the recent events, and to fill you all in on the progress of our current projects." Jeff Blackheart was sitting at the head of a long table. Along the sides were nearly all of his major employees, mainly his Eliminators.

"Now since Hunter is out working with Zane today, I'll give you the details he's left in his notes." Jeff picked up a stack of papers. "The current completion level of the Spire's construction is about 80% complete. The systems are now at 100% completion, and are functional whether or not the structure is complete. I expect all of you to input your data when you get the chance."

"What exactly is it that you want us to do?" Siefer asked.

"You see, the systems we installed are a very advanced Duel Monsters simulation device which we will be using during part of the tournament's finals. To determine who gets into the actual final matches of this tournament, they will need to be tested. This simulator will allow the Duelists to show who is truly worthy of being in the final matches."

"So what do you need us for?" Ryosuke was confused.

"Each of you will prepare a test for each of the Duelists who qualifies for entrance to the Spire. Whoever can complete this test most effectively will have a place in the final matches of the tournament."

"I see. So why do you need that huge drill?" Dianah was looking through a pile of blueprints.

"As you know, the Spire is built on top of an archaelogical dig site. The scientists who researched this area didn't find what they were looking for, however with my resources, I will uncover what is beneath it."

"And that is?" Manuel couldn't exactly understand what Blackheart's plan was.

"Ancient ruins. Rumor has it that the civilization who lived here discovered a so-called "Gate to the Underworld." I intend on unearthing it."

"But there are layers upon layers of concrete and rock beneath the Spire. That doesn't include the old structures of the original Mephisto City." Maggie said. "Much of old Mephisto City still exists, but has been covered by soil, cement, and also New Mephisto City."

"Which is exactly why we need to buy time. The reason I started this tournament is so that the projects at the Spire go unnoticed, and seen as innocent construction. We will go unscrutinized as long as they all believe we are building the Spire for tournament purposes. The longer this tournament lasts, the longer we can go unnoticed. Our first test of the drill will happen two days from now. If it is successful, we'll be able to dig into the ground deep enough to reach those ancient ruins."

"So it is our job to stall the Duelists from being able to enter the finals by taking their Decoder Devices..." Sumga said. "This will give us the most time to complete this project, right?"

"Correct. Although I fear that the finals will begin soon. The tests you prepare for the finalists will also stall for time, but since they will be inside the Spire, they may find out the true nature of our plans."

"True. I think that we could cause another diversion, however." Zander, one of Blackheart's most loyal Eliminators, said.

"Ah, but what do you mean?"

"The Dark Matter. When test out the giant drill, we release Dark Matter into the city and we'll call it some sort of chemical leak from nearby factories. Knowing what you're capable of doing with the Dark Matter is self-explanatory as to how you should use it."

"I see what you mean, Zander, but such an uncontrolled usage could be extremely dangerous. However, you just gave me an even better idea."

"What is it?" Siefer asked, with a sadistic look in his eyes.

"No, it won't involve violence Siefer."

Siefer looked disappointed.

"You all could learn a great lesson from Zander here... He's been working for me almost as long as Zane. He's innovative, something that many of you lack."

"Now what's going to happen to that Poljacik kid that's trying to get into the finals as quickly as possible?" Zander inquired.

"Hopefully, Zane and Hunter are dealing with him and his friends right now. I've heard from Hunter that Zane is dealing with Nick's little friend Tony as we speak. I'll deal with Nick myself later tonight..."

"What about your idea?" Dianah said.

"I'll explain my idea soon enough. This meeting's over, you may all go back to your duties." Jeff got out of his chair, and the rest of the men and women sitting around the table began to leave.

__

"Poor Zander, he trusts me too much. Too bad he'll never know what I did to his family!" Hahahaha!!"

Blackheart stood at the window, staring out upon the city which he was capable of crushing with just a single thought.

---

Nick had arrived home from school and logged onto the internet on his computer. He had been searching for more information about the Blackheart Corporation. An instant message popped up on his screen.

[ HopefulHeart01: Hey Nick, what are you up to? ]

It was Laurna. During the recent incidents, she had been incredibly concerned for Nick's well-being. Laurna made it a habit of checking on Nick every now and then.

[ PolKid99: not mcuh... just looking up inof abuot da Blackheart Corp. ]

[ PolKid99: much* info* about* Sorry about that, I was reading something ]

[ HopefulHeart01: Are you doing okay? It seems like you've been **really** fixated on finding information, but you're not finding anything new. ]

[ PolKid99: I kno, but I have to do something. I'd feel bad if I were just sitting here doing nothing. ]

[ HopefulHeart01: I see. Well, I'll just leave you to your research then. ]

As Nick closed the window with his conversation with Laurna, a new instant message popped up on both Nick and Laurna's screens.

[ NicoTony7: Help. NOW. ]

"What? Tony is at the shopping district... Unless he got into some trouble down there..."

[ NicoTony7: Sendin msgs fr cell. Shop Dist, locksmith. Elim. Dueling. Help. NOW. ]

A message from Laurna came up again.

[ HopefulHeart01: Nick, you got the message right? ]

[ PolKid99: Yeah, we better hurry. I'll meet you on the corner of Oak and Windmere Street. ]

Nick grabbed his backpack, and rushed down the stairs. As he went to the door, his aunt entered.

"Where are you off to Nick?" she asked.

"I'm going to meet Laurna at the Shopping District." he bolted out of the door.

"Be home soon." before she could finish speaking, Nick was already half a block away.

---

Back at the locksmith...

"Zane, I detected some signals coming from the room you're in. Tony must've sent a message to his friends or something." Hunter informed him.

"Good... Blackheart told me he wanted to draw Nick away from his house. He wants to take care of some business there."

Zane turned to Tony.

"If you're ready to begin, go ahead and make the first move."

Zane: 4000 Tony: 4000

"I'll play my White Magical Hat in defense mode, set a card facedown, then play my magic card, Mirage of Nightmares. During your Standby Phase, I'll be able to draw cards until I have four in my hand, then during my own Standby Phase, I must discard the same number I drew from my hand. Your turn, Zane."

"I'll draw." Zane said.

"I choose to draw a card as well, from my Mirage's effect."

Zane nodded his head, acknowledging the play. "It's too bad I've created a deck that was made to perfectly counter yours! I'll play the magic card Dark Tutor! I name a monster card, then if that card is in your deck, it will go directly to your hand."

"What monster card do you choose?" Tony thought this was an odd move. "A duelist wouldn't want to put any monster that could be a threat to themself into their opponent's hand. I don't think that was a wise move on your part, Zane."

"Oh, was it? I choose Yata-Garasu."

Tony looked at him in a puzzled way. "If you say so..." He took the card from his deck and put it into his hand. He let out a small snicker.

"Don't look so confident Tony! Next, I play the magic card, Confiscation!"

"What?!" It was a card that Tony was familiar with. He knew what was coming.

"I don't care what the other cards are in your hand. I'll discard Yata-Garasu. It may cost me 1000 lifepoints, but those won't matter much to me anyway."

Zane: 3000 Tony: 4000

__

"No, without my Yata-Garasu, I can't use my lockdown! I'll be able to win by taking out all his lifepoints, but one of my biggest weapons is gone. Although I do have a way of getting it back..."

"Now I'll summon Don Zaruug in attack mode! I'll have him attack your White Magical Hat!"

"Not with this trap! Gravity Bind!" Tony pushed a button on his Duel Disk to activate his facedown card.

"Well, I'll get rid of it with my Mystical Space Typhoon. My attack remains unhindered."

Zane: 3000 Tony: 3600

"Now, thanks to my Don Zaruug's effect, I can either discard a card from your hand, or two from your deck. I'll choose one from your hand."

A card was randomly selected by the Duel Disk, and Tony discarded it.

"I set this card facedown and end my turn."

"I draw, and now I have to-"

"You must discard the card you just drew. I play my trap, Drop Off."

"No... That was my Monster Reborn. Next I'll have to discard a card from my hand, as I used my Mirage's effect during your Standby Phase."

Tony inserted a card from his hand into the Graveyard slot on his Duel Disk.

__

"Only two cards in my hand... That's not much to work with."

"I set a monster in defense mode and end my turn."

"Okay," Zane drew from his deck. "Are you using your Mirage of Nightmares this turn?"

"I'll use it to draw three cards from my deck."

"I play the magic card, Exchange. Now I choose a card from your hand, and you do the same, then we trade cards. I only have one card in my hand, Spirit Reaper."

"The four cards in my hand are Pot of Greed, Harpie's Feather Duster, Messenger of Peace, and White Magical Hat."

"I'll take your Pot of Greed. Then I'll activate it to draw two cards. I set this monster facedown, then attack your set with Don Zaruug."

The Black Scorpion Graverobber took his guns from his holsters and aimed at the facedown card, and pulled the triggers. The facedown card was Tony's Sangan.

"Since you destroyed my Sangan, I'll use the effect to take Exiled Force from my deck."

"I play no other cards this turn. Go ahead."

"I draw, then I have to randomly discard three cards from my hand."

The Duel Disk once again selected random cards, and Tony discarded them.

__

"No... I'm left with Spirit Reaper, Exiled Force and Messenger of Peace. Exiled Force will do me some good, but Messenger of Peace won't help against his Don Zaruug."

"I'll summon my Exiled Force in attack mode, then attack your set monster."

"Not a good idea Tony. It was my Morphing Jar. We each discard our hands and draw five cards."

"I'll tribute Exiled Force to use it's effect, and destroy Don Zaruug. I set two cards facedown and end my turn. And now during your turn, I'll use Mirage's effect to draw one card."

"I set three cards facedown, then set a monster in defense. End."

Tony drew, waiting for Zane to respond with something.

"What are you waiting for Tony? Do you really want me to activate my facedown trap, Drop Off?"

Tony discarded the card he just drew.

"Don't forget Tony, you still have to discard one card because you used Mirage of Nightmares."

"Quiet you jerk, I know the rules!"

"Just a reminder, no need to be angry."

"No need to be angry? No need to be angry when the very company you work for has been causing my friends and I endless problems? No need to be angry when you've got me locked in here?!"

"I think you need to calm down! You're quite threatening when you're angry!" Zane laughed.

Tony discarded a card from his hand. I summon White Magical Hat, and send it to attack your set monster."

"I play my trap, Waboku, protecting me from your attack. However, my monster's flip effect is still activated."

The card that was facedown on the field revealed itself, much to Tony's dismay.

"My monster was Needle Worm. You must discard the top five cards of your deck. Unfortunately for you, nearly half your deck is gone now. When you run out of cards, you automatically lose!"

"I'll set two cards facedown then end my turn. Then after you draw, I'll draw three new cards."

"Hmm... Bad move Tony... You're getting rid of more cards in your deck, and you'll have to discard more of them during your next turn."

"Not when I do this. I use my facedown card, Mystical Space Typhoon, to destroy my own Mirage of Nightmares."

"I guess it's too bad... I'll activate my two facedown cards, which are Robbin' Goblin trap cards!"

"That means you'll be able to take out two cards in my hand with an attack!"

"Precisely. I'll use Raigeki to destroy White Magical Hat. Now I attack you with my Needle Worm."

Zane: 3000 Tony: 2850

"The effect of my Robbin' Goblin trap cards are now activated. Discard two cards from your hand."

Tony did as he said.

"Next, I use the magic card, Delinquent Duo. By paying 1000 lifepoints, I get to take two cards out of your hand."

"And since I only have two cards in my hand, you don't need to choose randomly."

"I'll set a monster and end my turn."

Zane: 2000 Tony: 2850

Tony drew a card.

__

"Whew, this card should help."

"I use Swords of Revealing Light to reveal all the monsters on your field, and keep them from attacking for three turns."

"Ha! You flipped my second Needle Worm! After its effect activates, you'll have less than fifteen cards in your deck remaining!"

"I'll end my turn."

"I begin my turn by setting a monster facedown. Next, I'll end my turn since I cannot attack."

"You have two more turns remaining under my Swords of Revealing Light. I set a trap card facedown and end my turn."

"I'll flip over my last Needle Worm, discarding the top five cards of your deck, leaving you with less than ten cards... I think you should give up now."

"It's not over until it's over, Zane. I won't give up."

"Your choice. I end my turn. I have one more turn until I'm free to attack."

"I have no choice but to play this card, Graceful Charity, so I can draw three new cards, but only keeping one. I'll discard my Heavy Storm and Mystical Space Typhoon. I play the card I kept in my hand, The Forceful Sentry, to shuffle a card in your hand back into your deck."

"Here, take a look. I hold Fissure, Severing Samurai, and Secret Pass to the Treasures."

"Shuffle Severing Samurai back into your deck. End my turn."

"After this turn, I'll be able to attack again. I play my own Pot of Greed, drawing two cards from my deck." Zane smiled. "I drew the perfect card to finish you off with. Blackheart's Sacrificial Offering: Spiritual Passage! By sacrificing all the monsters I have on the field, and discarding the card "Secret Passage to the Treasures" from my hand, any Spirit monster I summon will be able to attack directly, as long as this Continuous Magic Card remains on the field! With three cards left in your deck, I would say that your in a very tough predicament. I end my turn."

__

"This might be the last card I'll be able to draw... It better be good. Come on deck... Don't fail me now!" 

"I'll set a monster facedown and end my turn."

"Is that all? With no cards in your hand, and only two cards left in your deck, it appears that you've given up. Or maybe not. I guess you'll see this one out to the end. I'll summon Yata-Garasu, and thanks to my Spiritual Passage, it can attack you directly!"

Eight Giant Crows pecked at Tony, lowering his lifepoints by a mere 200 points, but causing him to skip his Draw Phase.

Zane: 2000 Tony: 2650

"I end my turn, and my Yata-Garasu returns to my hand as I do so."

"Hmm..." Tony said as he began his turn.

"Do you give up or not? What will you actually do when you have no cards left in your hand, two cards in your deck, and one monster on your field that won't protect you from my Yata-Garasu?"

"I'll do this. I flip summon my monster... It just happens to be _Fiber Jar !!" _

"What you say _!!_" Zane coughed, then cleared his throat. "Excuse me, I meant, what did you say? Fiber Jar? You had the one monster that could help you facedown this whole time?"

"Now this duel has restarted, with both of us shuffling our graveyards back into our decks, and drawing five new cards." Tony said.

"This is not right! I had you right where I wanted you. You had nearly decked out, and I had my Yata-Garasu keeping you from drawing! Your inability to use your own Yata-Garasu had nearly clinched the duel for me!"

"That's where you're wrong. Yata-Garasu may be one of the most powerful cards in my deck, but it isn't me deck's only strength. Now, as I drew five new cards, I'll activate this, Confiscation!"

Zane: 2000 Tony: 1650

Zane held out his hand so that Tony could see the cards he held.

"I'll discard the Raigeki magic card from your hand. Then I set two cards facedown, and summon White Magical Hat and attack you directly!"

Zane: 1000 Tony: 1650

"Next, a card must be randomly discard from your hand, leaving three cards in your hand."

Zane knew that if he made a mistake during these next turns, it could mean the end for him. He reached for his deck and drew a card very cautiously.

"I set a monster in defense mode, then set a trap card. Now I play the Magic Card, Harpie's Feather Duster which I drew this turn."

The two cards Tony had set facedown began to glow. A coffin emerged from each one. They stood up then exploded in a cloud of smoke.

"What happened?" Zane said as he shielded his eyes.

"You destroyed my facedown Dark Coffin trap cards. That means their effects are activated. For each one you destroyed, you must either destroy a monster on your side of the field, or discard a card from your hand. Since there is one card in your hand and one monster on your field, that means you will have to get rid of both of them."

"I'll end my turn."

"Now Zane, why don't you give up? You have no cards in your hand, no monsters on the field, and just one card facedown. Is that one of the cards you put in your deck to counter mine? Or is it only a measly bluff? I'd rather not take the risk, so I'll use my own Harpie's Feather Duster."

"That last card was my Mirror Force..." Zane looked as if he had accepted his defeat.

"That was close... I'll attack you with White Magical Hat to end this duel!"

The thief dressed in white punched Zane, knocking him down.

Zane: 0000 Tony: 1650

"A duel well-played Tony. Here, take this, the key and a Decoder Device for defeating me." Zane handed him the key and Decoder. "Don't think this is the last time we'll meet."

Zane snapped his fingers. The lights went out again. They came back on, and Zane was gone.

"Now to find a way out of here..." Tony said to himself.

---

Laurna and Nick were running around the Shopping District to find any sign of a locksmith. They had check out several of them, but had not found the right one yet. They had just reached Zane's Eliminator station when they could here Tony's voice coming from inside.

"Hello? If anyone can hear me... I need some help getting out of here!!"

"Laurna, over there! There's the locksmith!"

"Tony? Is that you in there?"

"Yeah it's me! Now here's the thing: There are eight doors around me, and only one gets me out of here. I have the key, but if I put it into the wrong door, the lights go out and the locks on the doors shuffle around. I need you to stand by the door and make a lot of noise so that I know which door is the right door on the first try!"

"Okay! Here goes!" Nick and Laurna stared pounding on the steel panel covering the front door of the shop.

"Good!" Tony listened carefully. He stepped towards the door he could hear the noise coming from. He put his hand to the wall, and could feel the vibrations. "This must be the door."

Tony put the key in and turned it. "Yes! It worked!"

The lock clicked and fell off the door. Tony pushed on the door and it opened. His first sight was of Laurna and Nick, standing there beside the door.

"Hey guys. Thanks for the help."

"Say Tony... Is that a Decoder Device in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?" Laurna asked.

"Haha...Nice one Laurna. Actually it's a Decoder Device, and my fourth one, at that. I guess I'm qualified for the finals, just like you Nick."

"Good. We'll be at the Spire in no time!"

"So now that two of you are qualified for the finals, wanna go celebrate somewhere? I mean, we are here at the shopping district, maybe we could grab a burger or something?" Laurna asked.

"So how about it Tony? Do you need to get home?" Nick looked to Tony.

"I don't see why not. Just remind me to get the car wax and help me find an actual locksmith before we head home."

"Sure thing Tony. We found a coupe of them while we were lookin' for ya."

From behind the locksmith, Zane watched them as they left.

"Boss, they aren't heading to their homes. You can go take care of your business at the Poljacik residence." Zane was on his cell phone.

"Thanks for the heads-up. Inform me if they start heading home."

"Yes sir, Mr. Blackheart." He turned off his cell. "I'm sure Nick will get a rise outta this..."


	12. Pushed to the Limit

Chapter Twelve: Pushed to the Limit

Nick, Tony, and Laurna were out celebrating Tony's victory over Zane, as well as his acquisition of his fourth Decoder Device. They had taken seats in a fast food restaurant where Tony had given them all the details of his duel with Zane.

"And so... he forced Yata-Garasu into my hand and used the Confiscation magic card, discarding it to the graveyard." Tony said as he took a zip of his soda.

"I wish I could've been there to see it. You make it sound like such a heated duel!" Laurna exclaimed.

"I ended up winning without it. He used some Blackheart Card and was able to attack directly with his own Yata-Garasu when I had almost decked out. Luckily for me, he had left my facedown Fiber Jar on the field, restarting the duel. And I eventually won by taking out his hand, leaving him with nothing to defend himsef."

"What about that Don Zaruug card? I've never even heard of it before." Nick said.

"I've been looking for that card for a long time, but I still haven't gotten one. It would help my deck a lot, and I'd be able to take out my Gravity Bind trap cards."

"When you work for Blackheart, I guess you get whatever cards you want. I'm surprised we've even been able to compete with their powerful decks." Nick was talking with his mouth full.

"You know, that's really rude Nick. At least swallow what's in your mouth before you talk. Anyway, yeah, I'm surprised too. All his eliminators are supposed to be top duelists.

Zane watched them through his binoculars from the van.

"Hunter, report to Blackheart that they're at that restaurant, so he can take care of his business." Zane turned to Hunter, who was still working at his computer.

"Yes, Zane, right away." Hunter typed up something on his computer.

---

Blackheart was sitting in a limo with two of his Eliminators, Zander Edmont and Maggie Sheratt. They were on their way towards the residential area where Nick, Laurna and Tony lived.

"I've just received a message from Hunter. They're at some restaurant in the Shopping District, so they shouldn't be back for awhile."

"Okay, so then what's the plan?" Zander asked.

"Well, we're going to leave a little surprise for Nick, Antonio, and Laurna. We'll each deliver a special package to their houses." Jeff took out three boxes, each addressed to Nick, Laurna and Tony respectively. "As you can see, they're marked as coming from a friend."

"What's the point to all of this?" Maggie inquired as she examined the box.

"Nothing. It's just a little mind game. You'll be delivering that package to the Nicosia residence, while Zander delivers his to the Hope residence. I'll deliver my little gift to Nick, personally." Jeff let out a sickening cackle. "He'll never expect it! Hahahahaha!"

"Mr. Blackheart, you're not going to do anything that will put us under the public eye are you?" Zander looked worriedly at Jeff.

"There's no need to be worried. With my money and power, no one can stop me!"

---

"So how about we go and find Laurna someone to duel for her fourth Decoder Device?" Tony said.

"I don't see why not... As long as it's not another Blackheart Eliminator." Nick breathed out heavily signifying how tired he was of dealing with them. "I wanted to win some rare cards from other Duelists out there... Since all the people we've been dueling have been Eliminators, we've just been taking their Decoders."

"Yeah, but Nick, that got us the fast track to getting to the finals." Laurna kept sipping at her soda. "I don't feel like dueling very much tonight. I might just go straight home."

"Mind if I walk you home?" someone said.

"Huh?" she turned around. It was Ace. "Oh! Hi Ace!" Laurna was blushing. "It's nice to see you at a time when you're not saving our lives!"

"It's always a pleasure to see you, Laurna. So how about it? May I walk you home?" Ace extended a hand of invitation.

"Sure! I'll see you guys later!" Laurna got up off her seat and left with Ace.

Nick and Tony were scowling.

"That guy... As many times as he's saved us, I still don't like him." Nick said.

"Hmm... I wonder why that is? Maybe because he just ran off with our girl!?"

"Hmph," Nick crossed his arms. "So how about I come over and watch the game?"

"Okay. Who's playing tonight?"

"I think it's the New Mephisto Demons versus the Domino City Dragons."

"Sounds good. Wanna get going? I think we're done here."

"Lemme just call my Aunt to let her know I'm going to your house." Nick took out his cell phone.

---

"Ace, can I ask you something?" Laurna said as she clung onto Ace's arm.

"Yes? What is it?" Ace looked into her eyes.

"Why did you decide to join this tournament? Not to be rude or anything, but I'm just wondering. You're rich, a proven skilled Duelist, and more. What does a person like you, who has everything he wants, gain from winning a tournament like this?"

"You're wrong Laurna. I don't have everything. I don't have you." He kept staring deeply into her eyes.

Laurna kept blushing.

"I entered the tournament to find out what happened to my brother, Vance. About three years ago, when I was thirteen, some strange men came to my parents' mansion. They said they were there under orders of a man named Blackheart, who I later discovered to be Jeff Blackheart himself. The men threatened my parents, saying that if they didn't give in to their demands, they would kill me and Vance. My parents gave in and half of their fortune was transferred into the funds Blackheart used to build up his twisted organization. When they left, they look Vance with them. They said that once I came to work for them, I'd see Vance again."

"That's so... That's terrible!"

"I know. I would never want to work for that psychopath, but by winning the tournament, I'll get a shot at Blackheart myself. If I defeated him, I'd earn that honorary position at the Blackheart Corporation, meaning that I wouldn't actually have to work for him, but that would fulfil the requirements that those men gave me three years ago."

"You're not the only one with a noble cause, Ace."

"I know, Nick's gained a reason to fight through his brother. However, right now, just for awhile, can it just be about you and I?"

Laurna was speechless. They just kept on walking as Laurna held onto Ace's arm.

---

Nick and Tony sat on the couch, watching TV. Tony's dad sat on a big comfy chair.

"Oh, Tony, did I tell you that Principal Sheratt stopped by today?" he said.

"She did? What did she want?" Tony asked.

"She just wanted to drop off some kind of award for you. It's over there in that box. Go take a look."

Nick and Tony stared at the box. They knew that their principal was an Eliminator for Blackheart. 

__

"What could be inside?" They thought.

"I'll open it. Step back Nick."

He peeked into the box, trying to get a glimpse at the contents. Then when he saw what was inside, he nearly tore off the top of the box.

"Look at this! It's a Student of the Month Award!" Tony exclaimed as he held up the plaque.

__

"Odd... Why would Tony get an award like that?"

---

Zander was outside of Laurna's house, peering in to check if anyone was at home.

Zander quietly spoke to himself... "Whatever Blackheart has planned, I sure hope my little side projects don't screw anything up...Otherwise this could be my last job..." Zander stepped towards the backdoor and started picking the lock. 

As the door swung open, Zander looked at he interior of Laurna's home.

"This...reminds me of my old house..." He saw family portraits, memos, notes to each other, and other objects. "I don't know why Blackheart insists on us getting so involved with these people's families. It all seems so...wrong..." He frowned as he came upon a framed photograph of Laurna sitting a table. It was a photo of her tenth birthday, all her family was sitting around her, as Laurna blew the candles on the cake.

"She must've been happy that day..." He spoke quietly again. "Her mother. Her father. All of them. She has people who love her. This must be why Blackheart orders us to carry out such cruel actions. He wants everyone to feel what he's been through. That must be how he's been able to control me all these years. He is aware of all of our strengths and weaknesses. Our fears... _MY_ obsession to fill the void within my heart..." Tears came to Zander's eyes, but he roughly wiped them off with his sleeve. "My family... Why won't Blackheart tell me the truth about what happened to them all those years ago...?"

He continued to mutter to himself as he walked through the empty house.

"I won't let Blackheart hurt another family... He can go ahead and play his games with that Nick, but I won't let another unsuspecting family be dragged into his...sick games..."

He set the box down on top of a table. "Whatever is inside this box, let it's wrath be unleashed upon me!" Zander flung open the boxes lid and closed his eyes.

"What? Nothing...?" He looked into the box. "So... Blackheart just wants to play games with them. As long as this does no harm to them... I suppose I could just find a place to leave it.."

Zander climbed the staircase and explored the second floor of the house.

---

At the same time...

Laurna was walking along quietly with Ace, still holding onto his arm. They had gotten to know each other better under these circumstances.

"Well...That's your house, right Laurna?" Ace said as they stopped in the walkway that lead to the front door.

"Yeah..." she was silent for a moment as she thought to herself.

They approached the doorstep. "I guess I'll just be saying good night then. I'll see you again later, okay?" Ace turned away as he began to leave.

"Wait Ace!" she blurted out.

"Hmm? What is it?"

"Would you like to come in?" she asked. "My parents won't be home for a few hours...and I'd like to spend some more time getting to know you better..." she smiled.

"I don't see anything wrong with that." Laurna led Ace in as he took off his jacket and hung it on the coat rack. "This is a nice house... Aren't all the houses around here just like this one?"

"Yeah, they are. Although some of them have the stair case on the other side of the house, like with a reversed design." Laurna felt like this conversation wasn't going anywhere. "So..." she didn't know what to say next.

"Hmm? Yes, Laurna?"

"Wanna see my room?" She didn't wait for an answer as she took Ace's hand and guided him upstairs. "Here we are..." Laurna pushed open her door. "This is my room! Sorry about the mess..."

"It's...charming..." Ace said as he looked around the jumble of clothes, papers and books. "I'm sure that no matter how identical the houses in this area are... There's no way to duplicate someone like you..." He smiled.

"Now Ace... I'm sure you've had trouble relaxing ever since all these complicated matters began..." Laurna leaned in towards Ace.

"Just one question... Uh, before anything happens..." Ace said. "Is it okay that we're up here, alone?"

"Of course... I told you, my parents aren't going to-"

Ace interrupted her. "I mean, is it okay with _you_ that we're up here, all alone?"

"There's not a doubt in my mind right now, Ace. Now just rela-" There was a sudden crashing noise, causing Laurna and Ace to jump up.

"What was that?" Ace asked.

"I dunno... It came from my sister's room."

"Could your sister be home?"

"I doubt she would, since she's doesn't live here anymore. I'll check it out..."

---

At Nick's house...

Jeff Blackheart stood outside the front door, holding the box. He thought to himself.

__

"Since his Aunt is home, how to go about business? Hm... Perhaps she'll prove to be useful to my purposes..."

He dwelled on his thoughts for a second, then raised his hand to knock on the door.

"Nick? Is that you? The door's open." A voice from inside said. Blackheart let himself in.

"I'm sorry, you sounded so inviting so I took the liberty of entering." He shut the door behind him.

"Oh...It's you... Blackheart..." She stood in the kitchen, staring at the man who has caused her family so much anguish and pain. "Get out of my house. Now."

"It's a pleasure to see you again, Deborah." Jeff kindly bowed his head to her. "I'm glad that this time, we have not met under such grim circumstances as the last time."

"What the hell are you talking about? We've never met!" She stepped slowly out of the kitchen, towards the living room, where Blackheart was.

"You mean you don't remember? The Poljacik memorial, twelve years ago, I believe? Such a tragedy... Both husband and wife losing their lives in the same night, leaving two children."

"I don't remember you being there, Blackheart. Now get out before I call the police."

"That won't do much. All the police officers in this city are my employees! Hahaha... As for the funeral, maybe I should refresh your memory. Does the Gilded Wings Children's Agency ring a bell?"

"That's the agency I had to talk to about the adoption..." She inched towards a small chest that lay on a table.

"I was only fifteen years old at the time. However, that agency was my home. My own family had met with some unfortunate circumstances of its own, and you had considered adopting me."

"You're the fifteen-year-old I had met... Before the accident..."

"I'm almost glad that I wasn't adopted by you, if it weren't for all the suffering I had to endure because I was cast aside!" Blackheart's eyes widened. "But if it weren't for you, I wouldn't have become the man that I am today! And for that..." He laughed. "I thank you."

"I-I'm sorry... I'm sure you know that the agency wouldn't let me adopt Nick, Duo, and you... It wasn't my choice..." She had a repentful expression. "But is that why you're doing all of this to us?"

"If I said yes, I'd only be telling part of the truth, my dear. If I had the time to explain further, I would, but I'm a busy man, and I just need to drop off a small present for Nick."

"We don't want anything from you except the information about where you're keeping Duo!"

"That's not why I'm here. This is just a simple gesture from the Blackheart Corporation." He set the box down on the coffee table.

Deborah reached inside a drawer, and made sure not to draw his attention.

"Get it out of here. You and your damn corporation has done enough."

"I'm insulted! It's only a friendly gift from us, and you refuse?"

Her hand emerged from the drawer, and she held a small handgun. "Get it out of here. Now!" She aimed the gun directly at Blackheart's chest.

"If you insist on shooting me, go ahead. This is the only chance you'll get. Maybe you'll think of yourself as some sort of hero for your family. Ending all the troubles I've caused you with a single bullet. I implore you, pierce my dead heart and end your family's suffering!" He extended his arms to his sides, as if submitting himself at gunpoint.

She breathed heavily, closed her eyes for a moment, and nodded to herself. She hesitated.

Blackheart closed his eyes and pointed his head to the ceiling. "Do it! Now! I await what the Darkness has in store for me! Do it! Now!!!"

Her hands shook as she aimed the gun at him. "I'm sorry..." Her arms dropped. "I can't take the life of another person..."

****

[DO IT. SHED MY BLOOD LIKE YOU HAVE ALWAYS WANTED.] A second voice came from Blackheart's mind.

Deborah lost control of her body, as if instincts took over. Her arms tensed up as the she found that once again the gun was pointed at him. "Duo..." she whispered.

-

-

-

-

-

The gun fired.

---

Laurna slipped into the hallway, and inched towards her sister's room, still full of possessions that couldn't be taken along to college. She approached the doorway, and tried to peer inside. The sound of someone rifling through drawers could be heard coming from within. Ace stepped in front of Laurna, in case any danger lurked within.

"I'll go in and take care of it... I wouldn't want you to get hurt." Ace whispered. He cracked the door open silently and tried to see who was intruding. "There's some guy in there, about six feet tall, gray jacket, khaki pants..." He looked on. "Blackheart logo, dead center on his shirt... I think I've seen this guy hanging out with Blackheart's eliminators, he must be one of them.. What should we do?" Ace turned around, but Laurna wasn't there. "Laurna?! Where'd you go?"

Ace frantically looked around, but couldn't see where she had gone off too. Finally, he saw Laurna emerge from her room, Duel Disk on arm, marching towards her sister's door.

"This is something I have to do Ace, so please step back." Ace did as she said.

Laurna kicked open the door. The man wearing the gray jacket immediately turned around in response.

"Hey you! What do you think you're doing in my sister's room?"

"Hmm. You must be Laurna. Plucky little girl, now aren't we?" He mocked her.

"If you're one of Blackheart's Eliminator's, let's duel right now. Either that, or I call the police."

Ace creeped out of the hallway into the room and whispered to Laurna. "I hate to tell you this, but the police aren't exactly a good idea. They work for Blackheart too." He was extremely impressed at Laurna's show of courage to defend her home and family's privacy.

Laurna muttered several profanities under her breath.

__

"Now I find out about this..."

"Well, Laurna, I don't believe we've been properly introduced. My name is Zander Edmont, Jeff Blackheart's _first _Eliminator. Ah, and I believe behind you is Ace Sotras, who has been a great hindrance to us lately. You seem incredibly hasty tonight. Have I interrupted a romantic night between you and Ace?"

"That's not your concern! Let's duel..." Laurna briefly glanced at the floor and blushed.

Ace couldn't help but smile slightly.

"Alright then, Laurna. I accept your challenge. I assume that you want to win your final Decoder Device? I assure you, it will not be an easy task." Zander picked up the Duel Disk that lay on the bed, and strapped it onto his arm. "As you know Laurna, it's a very technological world that we live in today. I think it's time that you are finally shown the true power of technology!"

Laurna: 4000 Zander: 4000

---

"Okay then, ladies first, so take the first turn Laurna."

"Gladly. I draw, then summon my Thunder Nyan Nyan in attack mode. Two cards facedown, and I end my turn."

"I set one card, and summon my Drillago in attack mode! This monster has an ability that allows me to attack your lifepoints directly if your only face up monsters have an attack strength above 1600 points. Last time I checked, your monster has an attack power of 1900. This is going to hurt! Drillago, attack her lifepoints directly!"

__

"If that attack goes through, then Laurna will lose nearly half her lifepoints... I wouldn't counter her out yet, though." Ace was tense as he watched.

The robot composed of drills rushed towards Laurna, as her Thunder Nyan Nyan looked on. As, the machine raised its arms to strike her, three robed mages appeared, chanting a spell of protection upon Laurna.

"You won't be getting to my lifepoints that easily, Zander, I play Waboku to protect my lifepoints from damage!"

Laurna: 4000 Zander: 4000

"I'll end my turn without any further plays." Zander remained calm.

"I have a feeling that Drillago is going to cause me some trouble if it's on the field for any longer, so I'll send my Thunder Nyan Nyan to attack it!"

"A predictable move, Laurna. Time for my facedown card, Limiter Removal! It doubles my Drillago's attack power all the way up to 3200!"

"No, that means my monster is destroyed!"

"Not only that, but you lose 1300 lifepoints as well. It may have cost me a monster, as Limiter Removal will cause my Drillago to be destroyed at the end of this turn, but it was worth it to inflict damage."

Laurna: 2700 Zander: 4000

"I'll set a monster and end my turn."

"I'll do the same, one monster in facedown defense mode. One trap card facedown ends my turn."

__

"Whew, I was expecting him to bring out another machine monster. He still has that facedown monster, and I don't know what to expect. His deck must be full of machine types, which I don't know much about. I'll have to take my chances and attack. With his monsters being machines, Limiter Removal could end the game in one attack. If I don't give him the chance to retaliate with monsters, Limiter Removal will be useless!"

"I begin my turn with the magic card Pot of Greed, allowing me two new cards from my deck. I set this card facedown in my magic and trap zone, then flip summon Harpie Lady. Now, I'll use Elegant Egotist to summon Harpie Lady Sisters! My Harpie Lady attacks your facedown monster!"

"That was my Cyber Jar, and now for it's effect, destroying all monsters on the field. Next we pick up five cards from our decks."

"I picked up Thunder Nyan Nyan, Monster Reborn, another Thunder Nyan Nyan, Elegant Egotist, and Mystical Elf. Both my Nyan Nyan are summoned in attack mode, and Mystical Elf in defense."

Zander was smiling. "Take a look at what I picked up. X-Head Cannon, Z-Metal Caterpillar, Mechanical Chaser, Witch of the Black Forest, and Graceful Charity."

"I'm going to wipe the floor with that smile, Zander. It's still my Battle Phase, and I activate the trap I had facedown last turn, Gift of the Mystical Elf! I'll gain 300 lifepoints for each monster on the field! I count seven, giving a total of 2100 lifepoints!"

Laurna: 4800 Zander: 4000

"Now I'll have my Nyan Nyan attack your X-Head Cannon and Mechanical Chaser!"

Laurna: 4800 Zander: 3850

"I may not have done much damage to your lifepoints, but two monsters that were a potential threat to me are now destroyed. Not only that, but I'll activate Monster Reborn on X-Head Cannon, bringing it to my side of the field!"

"I'll counter with my facedown trap card, Call of the Haunted! Since you used your Monster Reborn on a monster in my grave, my Call of the Haunted brings that monster back to me, meaning you wasted that valuable card..." He snickered slightly.

"Fine. I end my turn."

"I play Graceful Charity." Zander drew three cards from his deck. "I'll discard my Seven Tools of the Bandit and Life Absorption Spell. And now, I summon a second X-Head Cannon in attack mode, and add this magic card, 7 Completed, raising its attack power by 700 points!"

"That means it's stronger than any one of my monsters on the field!" Laurna gasped.

"If that has you on edge, wait till I finish this next play! I'll remove my first X-Head Cannon and Z-Metal Caterpillar from play to summon XZ-Caterpillar Cannon! After that, I activate XZ-Caterpillar Cannon's effect, allowing me to destroy one facedown magic or trap card at the cost of discarding one card from my hand!"

The mechanical behemoth unleashed a ball of energy on Laurna's facedown card, removing it from the field, Laurna was worried, as her facedown card was Mirror Force, leaving her lifepoints protected only by her monsters.

"Ha, now to take out your last line of defenses! X-Head Cannon, attack her first Thunder Nyan Nyan!"

Laurna could only watch as her Nyan Nyan was gunned down by the cannon-wielding robot.

Laurna: 4200 Zander: 3850

"Now my XZ-Caterpillar Dragon attacks your second Nyan Nyan!"

Laurna: 3700 Zander: 3850

"That Mystical Elf is little threat to me, so it can stay for now. Make your move Laurna."

Laurna nervously drew a card from her deck. "I'll leave my Mystical Elf in defense mode, and set another monster in defense mode. One magic card facedown. That's all."

"I think it's about time to finish this Laurna. I summon Mechanical Chaser in attack mode, then play Limiter Removal! With only two monsters on the field, while I have four, one of my monsters will be allowed a direct attack, and you've got nothing on the field strong enough to defend you! A direct attack from any of my machines could end this!"

__

"Damn, he's right... His X-Head Cannon has an attack power of 5000, the XZ- Caterpillar Cannon has 4800, and the Mechanical Chaser could wipe me out with its 3700 attack power... Plus that Witch of the Black Forest is still there from Cyber Jar's effect a few turns back. Although my Mystical Elf won't be able to stand against their strength, my other monster may be able to save me this turn..."

"Just to make sure you won't be pulling anything on me, I'll discard this last card in my hand to destroy your facedown magic or trap card."

__

"Yes, he took the bait!"

"A wasted effort Zander... That was my Elegant Egotist magic card."

"Wasted? Doubtful. My machines have more than enough attack power to destroy you! Mechanical Chaser, attack Mystical Elf! Since she's out of the way, XZ-Caterpillar Cannon, attack her next monster!"

Laurna started laughing blatantly. "Hahahaha... Looks like this game isn't over yet Zander! My second facedown monster was the Unhappy Maiden, and since she was destroyed, your Battle Phase is automatically ended, preventing no further attacks!"

Zander was starting to lose his composure. "No! And all my machines will be destroyed at the end of the turn!"

"And with no cards in your hand and a weak monster on the field Zander, you're not in a very good position."

"Quiet, child. I end my turn."

Laurna: 3700 Zander: 3850

As his turn ended, the three machines on Zander's field self-destructed, leaving him with his Witch of the Black Forest in defense mode.

"Okay Zander, with only that one monster on the field, I'd say you're in some trouble. I use a Graceful Charity of my own." Laurna drew three cards from her deck and discarded two. "I'll use the magic card Change of Heart, and take control of Witch of the Black Forest, then I summon Gemini Elf. Both of them will attack you directly!"

Laurna: 3700 Zander: 850

"Don't think that you have this duel won Laurna. I just drew Pot of Greed, which I activate now. Witch of the Black Forest goes to defense mode, and I'll set two cards in my magic and trap zone."

"Okay, I'll have my Gemini Elf attack Witch of the Black Forest."

"I'll use my Witch's effect to take my last X-Head Cannon from my deck."

"I end my turn without any more plays."

"Well, I think that I'm back in this duel. I summon my X-Head Cannon and equip it with my facedown card, 7 Completed. I'll attack Gemini Elf!"

Laurna: 3100 Zander: 850

Laurna drew, and looked extremely displeased. "I don't have a playable monster, so I'll set this card facedown in my magic and trap zone and end my turn.

"So Laurna, it looks like I've taken the upperhand. X-Head Cannon, attack her lifepoints directly!"

Laurna: 600 Zander: 850

"I'll end my turn, and you'd better hope your next card is going to help you, because I can take you down next turn... right in front of your boyfriend. Haha!"

She ignored Zander's words and drew a card. "I'll set this monster in defense mode. I'm afraid that's all I can do."

"Then I'm afraid that you've lost Laurna. I'll summon Y-Dragon Head in attack mode, and I'll have it attack your monster. Then my X-Head Cannon will finish you off."

"Take a closer look at my monster Zander."

The metallic dragon breathed a steam of energy at the facedown card. A young, robed girl emerged from it.

"It was Princess of Tsurugi. And before she's destroyed, she does 500 points of direct damage to your lifepoints for every magic or trap card you have on yor side of the field!"

Before being evaporated by the energy stream, Princess of Tsurugi hurled two daggers at Zander, damaging his lifepoints.

Laurna: 600 Zander: 0000

"Looks like you lose." Laurna smiled.

The Duel Disks deactivated upon a winner being decided. Zander walked towards Laurna.

"Alright. I accept defeat. Here, your last Decoder Device." Zander handed her the small cartridge shaped device. "You're qualified for the finals now. I'll leave your home peacefully, Laurna. I'll show myself out. Oh, and by the way, I left a little gift on the table downstairs." Zander found his way back downstairs and left through the same way he came in.

"That was amazing Laurna. I've never seen you take charge like that." Ace said, showing that he was impressed.

Laurna fell to her knees. "Whew... That was one of the toughest duels I've ever had."

"Yeah, but you got through it. And plus, you're in the finals, just like me."

"Yup. Can you do me a favor? Can you get whatever Zander left downstairs and bring it up here? I have to do a little cleaning up here, because Zander left this place a big mess..."

"Sure." Ace went downstairs as Laurna cleaned up her sister's room a bit. Ace returned with a box in his hands.

"So...what's inside? Is it anything dangerous?"

"Well, I wouldn't worry about it." He reached in, producing a heart-shaped pillow from the box. "Looks like a plain pillow to me." He handed it to Laurna.

"There's a note at the bottom of the box. It says, 'This is a reward for your exceptional progress in my tournament.' It's signed from Blackheart."

"It must be an actual gift from him then. What's that you've got in your hand?"

"Oh it's some sort of information card that Zander dropped...It has his address and contact information... This is odd..." Laurna examined the pillow. "One side of it is red, while the other side is black... and look at this..."

Laurna showed the black side of the pillow to Ace. The embroidered letters spelled out the word, "Hope."

"That's odd. It must be part of some mind game... Don't let it get to you."

"I won't. Well, I'm done cleaning this mess up... " Laurna walked into her room, as Ace followed behind her. She set the pillow on her computer chair. Laurna closed the door and locked it. "Now I believe we were in the middle of something?"

---

Nick was making his way home from Tony's house, wondering why Tony had gotten that award. It didn't bother him much, just left him a bit unsettled. He was about a block away from his house, thinking about what may happen in the next few days. As he headed towards his house, he noticed the door was wide open. Immediately, he hastily rushed into his home. What he saw was shocking.

His aunt, sitting on the floor with her head leaned up against the wall, with a handgun a foot away from her. Jeff Blackheart, on the floor, facedown, bleeding profusely. He was lying in a puddle of blood that was so dark it was almost black.

"God... What happened here Auntie?" He ran over to her.

"He...intruded on our home...saying he wanted to give us a gift of some sort." She could barely speak. "I don't know what came over me...but I took out the gun and shot him..."

"How long ago did it happen...?"

"I don't know... about half an hour ago... I've just been sitting here trying to make sense of things and figure out what happens now..."

"Is he dead? If he has been laying there like that for that long..." Nick slowly approached the body. Carefully, he turned Blackheart on his back. "I can't believe it... taken down with a single bullet... and all those powers he had. I didn't think he'd be stopped so easily..."

"Nick... don't celebrate the death of a person... It makes you..." she couldn't continue.

"I know Auntie... but what do we do about him?" Nick stared at the cold, pale face of the man that was once his family's greatest enemy. There was no expression, no emotion left. Nick could do nothing but stare, as if he was paralyzed by fear, but relieved of a huge burden that he had been carrying on his shoulders.

"His blood..." Nick's attention diverted to the puddle that had been forming underneath Blackheart. "It's so unnatural... such a deep red, it's almost black."

__

"Dark Matter...?" Maybe it's mixed in his bloodstream...?" Nick thought.

In the corner of his eye, Nick caught some sort of movement in Blackheart's chest.

"Nick...did you see that too?" Deborah's expression instantly changed to a cautious one.

"He...he moved?" Nick took a step back. "How...?"

It happened again. This time his neck twitched. A disturbing cracking noise accompanied the movement.

"What's happening?" Nick backed further away.

Blackheart's eyes shot wide open, and he jumped to his feet, with his head in his hands, screaming out as if in pain, terror, or insanity...

"GRARRRRGGHHH!!!" he continued screaming, as if he were struggling with something internally that was trying to escape. "Finally... I have become one with the Darkness!" He screamed out again, but as if he was accepting what had been happening to him, like he was undergoing some sort of metamorphosis.

At that moment, huge, black, leathery wings had exploded out of Jeff's back. His head hung, as he looked at the floor. He looked up at Nick, his eyes glowing a deep ruby color. His face had a look of dementia. 

"Did you miss me?" He spoke.

Nick fell down as he tried to distance himself from the creature that was standing before him.

"What... are you?" Nick looked incredibly disgusted at what he had just seen.

"I may have told you before that I'm as human as you, but now, it's obvious that I've become something more... Thanks to you Deborah."

"I don't understand..." She got up on her feet. "How...? What part did I have in this?"

"For years, within me has been an imbalance of Light and Darkness. I've been struggling to crush one side or the other... And now, the Darkness has complete control." He stood up straight now, in his usual arrogant posture. "When you shot me, you killed off any humanity I had left within me. Apparently, that part of my mind has a low tolerance for pain... You have liberated me of my weakness, my humanity. You have my greatest gratitude, Deborah, for the second time in your life, you have unleashed a monster on this city!"

"But...the blood... You should be dead!" She inched towards the gun again.

"Ah, but in some ways, I am. However, in another way, I have just been reborn into a higher form. And I wouldn't try to reach for that gun again. You don't want to know what I am capable of now. The Dark Lord has instilled great powers upon me in exchange for the resources I have available. A single bullet cannot stop thousands of years of ancient wisdom, evil and power. All you have done is fortify the Darkness within me. When the balance of Light and Darkness is thrown in a single direction, Chaos reigns, and I will make that Chaos a reality!"

Nick's Aunt picked up the gun and pointed it at Blackheart again.

"I won't let you."

"Have you learned nothing today? Don't waste my time." Blackheart extended his hand, then pointed his palm to the ceiling. He grasped his hand, as if clutching something, and instantly, the gun in Deborah's hands turned to dust. "I must go now, but I think that you'll be pleased with the gift I wished to give your family. As the day ends, another night begins, which means it's time for the creatures of the night to emerge once again..."

He simply walked out the front door. And used his new wings to fly into the night.

"Auntie... What did he mean... You unleashed a monster on this city for the second time...?"

Deborah was now standing by the box Blackheart left as a gift for them. "I'll explain it to you later... We both need to get some rest. I'm going to call Tony's dad because we can't stay here tonight... Not after all that's happened... Go upstairs and get a change of clothes and anything that you'll need over night... Hurry. I can't stand being in here for much longer or I'll go insane." She picked up the phone as Nick hurried upstairs.

Nick came back down with a backpack. He saw that she had taken the contents of the box out and laid them on the table.

"What was inside?"

"There were five cards..." she showed them to Nick.

"Duo's favorite cards...D-E-A-T-H...."

"Blackheart wanted to give our family the gift of DEATH..." She put the cards down. "I called over to Nicosia's, it's okay for us to spend the night there... Let's go... I seriously cannot be in this home right now."

Without another word, they left.


	13. Shadow Puppet

Chapter Thirteen: Shadow Puppet

Nick and his Aunt had spent several days with Tony and his family. Deborah would occasionally go back to their house only to pick up things that they needed. They didn't know what to do about the huge puddle Blackheart had left on their floor. If they cleaned it up themselves, who knows what would happen? If they called a hazardous materials team to clean it up, how would they explain it? All they knew that it definately wasn't blood. Nick had a theory that it was either some form of Dark Matter. Nick had a new perspective on everything, as his Aunt had explained to him what happened twelve years ago. Nick couldn't help but feel responsible for everything. He was the one who angered Blackheart at the Commencement. His Aunt could only console him by saying that all this was happening for a reason, and that they'd be able to get through it, as long as they stayed strong.

Nick, Tony, Laurna and Ace had all been trying to find information about Blackheart, as always. This time, they had more clues to work with. With what Nick had experienced, he knew more about Blackheart than anyone among them. They were sitting in the library, where they spent many of their Saturdays, ever since these incidents began. Although, Jason was not with them this time. He had passed the library responsibilities to Laurna.

"Tony, research the name Mephisto, and associate it with words like Dark Lord or Chaos. Find out as much as you can... mythology, legends, anything. We need to know what we're dealing with."

"Right. I'll get on it." Tony continued staring at the monitor in front of him.

"I'll research what was underneath the construction site of the Spire. It's got to be something important if Blackheart is focusing a project on that one spot."

"What do we do?" Laurna asked Nick. She was sitting in a chair next to Ace.

"Laurna, Ace, you guys can try and find out about incidents or news concerning the Blackheart Corporation from the past years." Nick didn't bother looking up. "Look for any deaths, injuries, money transfers, or anything suspicious."

"Gotcha." Laurna turned to the computer monitor.

Ace whispered, "I know your friend Nick has been through a lot, but he seems distant from you today. Should I leave?"

"It's nothing... Don't worry. He's probably just jealous of us, and that's in addition to all the other things in his mind right now. Give him some time, and he should be fine later. Let's just do our best to support him, okay?" she responded.

Ace nodded.

"Hey I found something you guys might want to see." Tony said. "Take a look."

He had stumbled upon various cult websites who worshipped the Lord of Chaos and Mischief, usually referred to as Mephisto. Tony found that they would perform rituals and attempt to use forms of ancient magic. Their magic power was said to come from a potion, said to be the blood of their master, which was thick and black like sludge. No one knew what the potion was composed of to this day. Tony found one thing in common with all the websites.

"Look at who provides the funding for all these cults..."

They weren't surprised as they saw the name which Tony had highlighted.

Jeff Blackheart, Blackheart Corporation.

"It looks like he's the head of a lot more than just his corporation. There are chapters of these cults all over the world, and they see Blackheart as some sort of figurehead, someone who can communicate with their Lord. This has gotta mean something, right Nick?"

"Yeah... The name of this city. I'll look into it..." Nick turned back to his computer and browsed through some search results. "I think this might teach us something..." He clicked on a link.

[The City of Mephisto was named after the deity worshipped by the natives who originally lived in the area thousands of years ago. It was completely demolished after a surge of crime and corruption had run rampant in the city. The city's mayor had forced the complete evacuation of the city, as it was unsafe for living. It is believed that the mayor was superstitious about the city's location, as it was built on top of the ruins of an ancient civilization. He believed that the remnants of the ruins were causing the madness and insanity of the city's people. Mental patients were moved from facilities in Mephisto City, and were later found sane by the psychiatrists at facilities away from the city. The mayor was supposedly a descendant of the people of this ancient civilization, which was most likely cause for his great superstition. His current whereabouts are unknown.]

"Interesting, eh?" Nick said.

"What about New Mephisto City? How did it get here after they demolished the old one?" Laurna asked.

"I think it gets to that...Hold on." Nick clicked through some more links. "Here."

[Fifteen years after the original Mephisto City had been demolished, overcrowding problems in nearby Bayton and Oak City forced a movement for a new city to be built where Mephisto City once stood. This alleviated the overcrowding problem, and provided new job opportunities and schools for children. Mention of the ancient ruins was often ignored, as the crime rate remained steady and under control.]

"That seems reasonable enough... That's about twenty years ago right?" Ace said. "Although, when does Blackheart get involved in all of this?"

"I have no idea about that. Not much is known about Blackheart's past at all. My aunt knows that he moved here from Bay City when he was about fourteen years old, and he lived at the Gilded Wings Child Agency. That's about it. Sometime between then, he won a major Duel Monsters Tournament, winning thousands of dollars in prize money, then orchestrated that buyout of Industrial Illusions. All of us know the rest... After that he moved his base of operations here, and built his business empire by the time he turned eighteen. We've had that info for a long time, since that's what he allows the public to know."

"Guys. Look." Laurna said, dumbfounded at what she had found.

"What is it?" Ace looked at her monitor.

"This headline... 'Two-Hundred Killed in Chemical Plant Explosion' and below it, 'At least three dozen poisoned by unknown substance.' Look, there's a list of all the victims, the people who died of poisoning, and some more information."

Nick walked silently out of the room.

"What's with him?" Ace asked.

"Oh no... Tony go tell him I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything by it."

"Alright..." Tony hesitated a bit, then went after Nick.

"What was that about?" Ace asked.

"Oh, you don't know. This is the same accident that killed Nick's parents twelve years ago. I shouldn't have brought it up." She browsed through the list of victims, until coming to two names, which she highlighted. "See? 'Monika and Victor Poljacik, parents of Nikolas and Duo Poljacik. Killed in car accident caused by explosion.' right there."

"That's so tragic... What were they doing there anyway?"

"They weren't there. Supposedly they were just driving by, and there was the explosion. I remember that day... I was only three years old. I could hear the explosion as if I was right there, although I was miles away..."

"Laurna scroll up a bit, I think I saw something." She did as she said. "There!"

"What?" Laurna turned to the monitor. She couldn't believe what she saw. " 'Xavier and Yolanda Edmont, parents of Zander Edmont. Died of chemical poisoning.' Hmm... You think Zander knows about this?"

"I don't know, but I think you should go to that link below their name, it leads to an article of some sort. It looks like they survived the initial blast, but the exposure to chemicals got them."

Laurna clicked. She took a short glance at the article. "It says that they were in the hospital for several days, suffering from burns, abrasions, lacerations, etc. The doctors had no idea how to treat their chemical exposure, so they did their best to save them, but couldn't. The physical injuries were somewhat minor, but the exposure caused them to slip into some sort of coma. They died shortly after." Laurna looked towards Ace.

"Does it mention Zander anywhere?"

"Actually it does... When his parents died, Zander was put into care of a certain children's agency. The Gilded Wings Children's Agency."

"Hmm... So does that mean that Blackheart could be involved somewhere here?"

"I can almost guarantee he did something. He was only fifteen at the time, but we don't know much about his past, like Nick said."

"Well Laurna, just when it looks like this mystery is starting to make sense... Thousands of new questions rise..."

---

Fifteen minutes later, Nick and Tony returned from outside. Nick had a stern expression.

"Okay. I'm okay now." Nick took a seat. "I'll get back to work."

"Nick, I think we've done enough for today." Laurna got up. "I think we've found enough information for today. At least we have something to work from now."

"Yeah, we've found out that Zander's parents, Xavier and Yolanda, were somehow involved in that explosion, since they worked at the chemical plant. They died in the hospital from chemical poisoning, but apparently..." Ace paused. "There was a visitor about an hour before their deaths. It was an unidentified teenager, dressed in all black, supposedly one of the boys from the Gilded Wings Children's Agency. They didn't mind because there were lots of kids around from the Agency because of that explosion. The office happened to be in the bottom floor of the hospital, and across the street was the home for those children, so it must have been over looked that they had a visitor. I think that visitor was Jeff Blackheart. It's seemingly obvious."

"Sheesh Ace, you got all that from a single article?" Nick was impressed rather than being jealous as he usually was. "What do we do with all the information we've gathered today?"

"I figure that we look into the whole cult thing more, and find out as much as we can about this Mephisto guy... I think we know a lot more than we did before." Tony held out some information he had printed out. "This is a list of some of the websites, if you wanna do any more searching." He handed a list to each of them.

"So what are we going to do now?" Ace asked.

"I sent an email to Zander. His email address was on that information card he dropped at my house. I'm telling him about all this information we found."

"But wouldn't he know about all this by now?" Ace was puzzled.

"If he knows that Blackheart did something to his parents, or even considered the possibility, why would he be such a loyal worker to him? He is his first eliminator, and most likely the most trusted. Zane may be Blackheart's right-hand man, his assistant, but Zander is his reliable henchman, doing what he is told with no question."

"Right... But how does telling him affect us?" Tony asked.

"I think that if we can turn him around, we'll have an inside man at Blackheart Corporation. From his behavior during our duel, he didn't seem like all that bad of a guy. Usually I can tell these things..." she replied.

"What about what happened with Dianah?" Nick said.

"That was different. She had us wrapped in the tentacles of that plant, threatening to kill us... After I beat Zander, he did nothing but leave. That I found incredibly odd. Maybe there is a bit of salvageable goodness left inside him. I tend to believe in the best of people, so that's why I emailed Zander."

"That's good thinking Laurna." Nick turned to Tony. "Hey is it okay if we go home to your house now? I'm getting a little tired and I think I should get a little sleep."

"Sure man, let's go. You guys gonna be okay?" Tony asked Ace and Laurna.

"Yeah, I'll drive Laurna home when we're finished here." Ace replied, reading information off of Laurna's monitor.

"Okay. We'll talk later." Tony and Nick picked up their things and left.

---

At the Blackheart Corporation Headquarters...

Zander was sitting at his desk, typing up a progress report for Jeff.

[Package delivered with no complications. I dueled with Laurna, and was defeated, allowing Miss Hope her last Decoder Device, qualifying her for the tournament finals.]

Zander printed out his report, and signed it. Suddenly, a message popped up on his screen.

[You have mail.]

"Hmm... Wonder who it's from...?" He said to himself. He set the report down and opened the email. He read silently to himself.

"What....? She must be lying! This can't be true..." He clicked on the link leading to the various sources of information she had found. "Blackheart has been lying to me all these years... The hospital records say he was the last visitor to my parents before their death... That bastard... He told me that he visited them to tell my parents that if they died, the Gilded Wings Agency would take good care of me... He must have been involved..." Zander had an indignant expression, feeling a mix of emotions. "If all this is true... I've been mislead for over twelve years! I have to find out more..."

---

Zander left his office, heading down the hall to Blackheart's office. He wasn't going to confront him directly about it, but would tell him he needed to take care of some business. Since Blackheart was very different lately, it wouldn't be a problem. Almost hesitantly, he stepped through the door.

"Mr. Blackheart sir, are you busy at the moment?"

"No, I have a few minutes free. What is it?" Blackheart stood staring out the window, with his back turned to Zander.

"I just needed to tell you that I'm off to investigate Blackheart Chemical Plant on the outskirts of town. There were some trouble makers who tampered with the equipment last night, and I want to make sure there isn't going to be a problem."

"I see. Well, make sure the problem is taken care of. I have some business of my own to attend to."

"Yes sir. " Zander turned around then left, closing the door behind him.

Blackheart walked to his desk, and pressed the button on his intercom.

"Zane, I'll be gone for a few hours. If anything important comes up, let me know."

"Yes sir." said the voice that came from the intercom.

Jeff went back to the window and pressed on the latch. The window opened up, allowing blustery winds to enter the office, which blew various papers around. Huge, leathery wings emerged from Jeff's back, protruding through the back of his trenchcoat. With that, he jumped out of the window and took flight.

---

Zander drove his car out of the parking garage underneath the Blackheart Corporation Headquarters. He didn't head straight for the chemical plant. There was someone he needed to pay a visit to. He dialed a number on his cell phone as he drove down the street. Zander awaited an answer.

"Hello?" a woman's voice came from the phone.

"Hey Sera, it's Zander."

"Oh... Hi there."

"I need to ask you a favor Sera... It's really important."

"Sure. Anything for you Zander... What do you need?"

"We can't talk about it now, but I'll be at your place in a few minutes. Is that alright?"

"Okay, I'll be waiting."

The woman who Zander spoke with was a friend of his from the Gilded Wings Children's Agency. Her name was Sera, an orphan as well. She didn't even know if she had a last name, as she had suffered from amnesia. Sera had always been a sister to Zander, because neither of them had a real family. When she was adopted, she was abused by the adopted parents, so she was put back under the agency's care. Sera said the abused her because she was different, but Zander never understood how until she showed him that she had an odd power inside her. She has no idea how or why she has it, but now she lives alone in a secluded area because of her ability. She only leaves her home when she feels it is necessary.

Zander arrived at her home ten minutes later, parking his car behind the small, square shaped house. He walked to the front door and knocked lightly.

"Sera, it's Zander. You can let me in. I'm alone."

"I'll be right there." The door opened, and standing there was a woman, her skin pale, clad in all black. Her hair reached her knees, which she was dyed jet-black, and had red steaks running through it. Sera's arms were adorned in all sorts of trinkets, chains, and bracelets.

"You're looking different, Sera..." Zander hadn't seen her in years, and was surprised at what he saw. "New hairdo?"

"Yeah, I'm glad you noticed." She made an attempt to smile. "Come in and have a seat."

Zander did so, taking off his jacket and folding it in his lap. Sera sat down in a chair across from him.

"Now, there was a favor you needed?" she asked.

"Let's forget that for now, we haven't seen each other in years... How have you been?"

"Zander, I know you didn't come here for small talk, and I doubt any occurences in my life would interest you."

"What's wrong Sera...? Did I come at a bad time?"

"No... Sorry... It's just that I sense something. Something very bad. It will be catastrophic to all the people in this city..."

"What...? What do you mean?" Zander got up out of his chair.

"I'm sorry... I'm just rambling on about a vision I had... Lately, I've been seeing all these terrible things... Now please, just tell me what you need me for..."

"I want to know if you can use your power to look into my past, and show me exactly how my parents died..."

"Zander, but I thought you never wanted me to do such a thing for you? Just as I would never want to see my own past, it would be such an unimaginable pain. However, my powers cannot be used on myself, only others. But if it is what you wish, I can aid you."

"Thank you Sera. Now how does it work now? You haven't done something like this for me in awhile."

"Have a seat at my table over there, and lay your hands on the table, close to the center. Have your palms face up."

Zander did as she said.

"Okay, now I'm going to paint a symbol on the palms of your hands." She took out a small glass container filled with a black substance. A paintbrush was already sitting inside the container, which Sera had used to paint several odd characters on both of Zander's hands. "Close your eyes, and I'll paint a last symbol on your forehead. Then we can begin."

Zander closed his eyes. "Is this all necessary? Before you would just put your hands over my eyes and we would both see the images in our minds..."

"Ah, but back then, I did not know how to use my abilities, and it was very painful for me to do so. When I use this method, it only has a strain on me, causing great fatigue. Which is why I sleep so often." She painted the characters on Zander's forehead, then took as seat across the table.

"Are we ready to begin?"

"Yes, now just relax yourself, and try to keep your mind clear..." Sera's hands moved over Zander's. The paint began to emit a gentle glow. "Let us see into the past..." Sera breathed in deeply...

---

__

"What's happening? I hear sirens..." Zander said.

__

"We're experiencing the events of the past... I hope you find the answers you seek. Please keep quiet because I must concentrate. Any questions you have I can answer later. Just focus on using your eyes now..." Zander could hear Sera's voice as if it were coming from miles away.

They were twelve years into the past, floating ominously above New Mephisto City, seeing the chemical plant, minutes after the explosion had occurred. Ambulances were swarming the area like bees. The police had barricaded the immediate area. Everything was a mess. Cars had piled up on the roads, the chemical plant was covered in flames, the smoke wafting in the winds, contaminating the air... The paramedics were acting quickly as the fire department tried to control the blaze. They feared another explosion would happen if they didn't take control of the fire.

Zander focused on certain areas, trying to see where his parents were. He also tried to see if anything else was recognizable. He had spotted them being taken away by a pair of ambulances. He could hear everything the paramedics were saying.

"These two aren't in such bad shape, if we hurry them to the hospital, they'll survive. I'll take the guy in the back of mine, you bring the girl. Now let's go!" One of them said.

Zander saw his parents as they lay there, seemingly lifeless. Their labcoats were badly burned, but they didn't appear to have any serious injuries. Others hadn't been so lucky. Some had missing limbs, some lay against the burning structure of the building, undiscovered by the paramedics as they bled to death. The employees of the chemical plant weren't the only victims. The area felt the impact of the explosion, and debris had flown everywhere. Cars were struck by the flying rubble, being sent off the road, and some exploding on contact with larger debris. Everything within a two mile radius of the explosion was in utter chaos.

Zander felt sick as his eyes met with the wreckage of a car. It crashed into a wall, as the highway below them had been shattered by the impact of the explosion. The couple who had been inside the car had been ejected... The man had hit the ground hard, and become almost nothing more than a smear on the road. However, the man's wife had met a worse fate; she could do nothing but watch as her beloved husband died. She had ignored her own injuries as she slowly crawled toward the remains of her husband. Zander was disgusted at the sight, but could not stop watching as this seemed important to the events of the future. The woman struggled to reach her husband, her leg broken, bending impossibly in all the wrong directions, and she was impaled in the stomach with a piece of the wreckage. Finally, she reached her husband's side.

"Victor... this isn't happening..." the woman cried. "All we wanted was a weekend to ourselves... Now we'll never live to see out beautiful children again..." She collapsed and continued bleeding on her husband's body.

Victor's lips muttered, "Monika...Nikolas... Duo... I love you all..."

Zander had felt empathetic at the gruesome sight. Those were Nick's parents. He felt guilty for all the evil he had done while working with Blackheart. He turned away in disgust, but couldn't escape himself.

He saw more horrors and so many more people in pain, he couldn't take it any more.

Suddenly, his field of vision was changed to the hospital. He looked around, seeing that this place was just as chaotic as the scene of the explosion. Doctors rushing everywhere, trying to tend to the injured and dying. He watched as things calmed down over the course of several hours. The doctors had stabilized those they could, and they informed the families of the dead. The next thing he saw was something that he was able to remember vaguely. He saw himself sitting in the room where they had taken his parents. The doctor was talking to him.

"Zander, this may look bad, but your parents are very lucky. The other people who work at that chemical plant were hurt really badly, but your parents are going to be okay. Right now they are just sleeping. We'll make sure to take care of them. You'll have to wait before you can see them again, because there are a few things the doctors need to do, so this nurse will show you to the daycare area. There are some kids there who you can talk to and play with."

The nurse took Zander's hand and led him away. The doctor tidied up a bit in the room, and checked their vital signs again. A woman followed by two children entered the room. The children had taken seats outside the room.

"Oh, you must be the woman from the Gilded Wings Children's Agency. I'm Doctor Harkins." said the doctor.

"Yes. My name's Gloria Perrinson. It's nice to meet you. I've been really busy today..."

"I know. Such a horrible tragedy."

"It looks like we're going to need to take some children under our care. Many of the victims don't have any immediate family to contact. How are these people doing? I heard that they're in better condition than most of the victims."

"Yes, they got away with only minor burns and lacerations. They sure are lucky. Are those your kids over there?"

"No, they're just a couple of my kids at the Agency. The girl is named Sera, we've had her under our care since she was only five years old. She hasn't been able to find a home... The people who adopted her previously had abused her."

"Oh, I see... Who's the other?"

"That's Jeff. Jeff Blackheart. He's fifteen years old and has become somewhat of an assistant to me at the Agency. Unfortunately, no one has really opted to take him into their home... He's a bit odd for most of the people looking to adopt. He's been with us for two years..."

"He doesn't look odd to me..." The doctor said. "He must just really like to wear black."

"That may be, but he is very disturbed mentally. I don't have the heart to put him into a correctional facility..."

A voice came over the PA system.

[Paging Doctor Harkins. Please report to the OR.]

"Well, that's me... It was a pleasure meeting you Gloria." He rushed off to the nearest elevator.

"Jeff, Sera... time to move along." she said. "I've got other people I need to see."

Sera returned to her side.

"Where's Jeff gone off to?"

"I'm not sure... He said he went to the restroom. It's been a little too long though." said Sera.

"Oh no... He must have run off again... I hate when he does this... Let's go find him."

__

Meanwhile...

Jeff stood in the restroom, staring into the mirror.

"What more do you want from me? I've done all you've asked!"

A shadow in the mirror responded.

****

[THERE IS ONE LAST COMMAND I HAVE FOR YOU. THOSE TWO WHO DID NOT SUSTAIN FATAL INJURIES. THEY SAW WHAT YOU DID. YOU MUST END THEIR LIVES BEFORE THEY CAN SPEAK OF WHAT THEY KNOW. YOU MUST DO THIS TO PROTECT YOURSELF. I WILL ALSO ASK FOR YOU AID IN THE FUTURE.]

"Fine...I'll do your bidding again... But this has to be the last time... Then you'll leave... me... ALONE!" Jeff slammed his head into the mirror, shattering it.

---

Present day...

Blackheart was standing with a Sumga Hong and Manuel Figo in an alleyway. They had been chasing down a middle aged man. He was cornered by the three of them.

"W-what do you want from me...?" he asked.

"It appears that you've forgotten... Perhaps you don't remember me..." Blackheart said as he stepped toward him. "You were there twelve years ago at the hospital after the explosion at the chemical plant. Is that correct Doctor Harkins...?"

"Yes... but who are you?" His back was against the wall now, and Blackheart could sense the fear inside him.

"My name is Jeff Blackheart. You saved the lives of all those people who should have died that day. I suppose the time has come for me to even the score..."

"You're insane. Now please, let me go, I've done nothing to you."

"Ah, but you have. My master was very angry that there were survivors of that incident. He said I failed him... He said that I wasn't fit to be his servant... And now, twelve years later, I am still bound to him. It is a gift to serve such a prominent figure, but it is also a curse. You're responsible for that. I will not allow you to help anymore people."

His eyes widened. "With the way you describe it, it sounds like you were the one responsible for that explosion... If that's true I'm calling the police."

"I never said that I wasn't." The look on Jeff's face instantly became sadistic. "And I don't think the police will be able to do much. Besides, you're not going anywhere."

He clutched the doctor's neck with his right hand, making him choke for air. Doctor Harkins reached into his pocket and drew a knife. He thrust it into Blackheart's midsection.

Blackheart's eyes widened. He put his left hand up to the spot where the knife had penetrated his flesh.

"Ugh..." He grabbed Harkins' arm and twisted it until he released the knife. "That almost hurt." Jeff smiled. "Here's your knife back." He pulled it out and held it out in his hand while still grasping his throat with the other. Harkins attempted to reach for it, but felt weak. "Well, too late." The knife was crushed in Jeff's hand.

He started losing consciousness as he wasn't getting enough oxygen. Harkins looked down at the wound he had inflicted on Jeff, and it was dripping a black sludge-like substance. He gasped for air as he tried to squeeze out words.

"Oh, I'm sorry, can't breath?" He released his grip and the doctor fell to the ground.

"That black sludge... It's the same poison that they found inside the chemical plant and the bloodstreams of many of the people who died. Including the two cases we had expected to recover, the Edmonts... What is it...?" He said as he breathed heavily.

"You have a good memory, but you couldn't even remember who I am? What a shame, I was considering letting you live. However, now that you know a little too much, maybe you'll serve me better."

"What!? No! I have a family! Please let me go!"

"Come now, be realistic. We both know that isn't going to happen." Jeff extended his arms to his sides. "Right now your free will seems to be very annoying to me. Maybe I should rid you of it!"

A strange glow emitted from Jeff's hands. Doctor Harkins collapsed to the ground, instantly falling unconscious. A bright light started to emerge from his chest, which Jeff snatched up with his hands. The light faded out.

"Another soul for the master to feed on once he arrives." Jeff had his hands over his chest. "Take the body to the Spire. His brain should still be functional enough for something there."

"Right away, sir. Manuel, get the car." Sumga tossed Manuel the keys. "And you Mr. Blackheart, sir? Should we return for you?"

"That's not needed. I"m going to see where Zander has been spending the last couple of hours. He claimed to be going to the Blackheart Chemical Plant on the outskirts of town, but he is a few miles away from it according to the tracker inside his cell phone. I do not doubt his loyalty to me, but any suspicious behavior is something I want to handle myself."

"Right sir. Well deliver this body to the Spire and then await further orders." Sumga dragged the body into the car where Manuel waited. The drove off quickly.

"Ah Zander, what are you up to?" Blackheart walked out of the alleyway.

---

Back in Zander's visions...

Blackheart had just left the bathroom, where Sera noticed the shattered mirror. It seemed as if she missed him by seconds.

"Jeff...don't go cause any trouble..." she said as she saw the shards of glass everywhere.

Jeff had entered the room where Xavier and Yolanda Edmont were.

"Okay, now what do you want me to do? You promised this would be the last thing!"

****

[I SAID THIS WOULD BE MY LAST COMMAND. I PROMISED NOTHING. WE WILL MEET AGAIN IN THE FUTURE, FOR YOU ARE THE CHOSEN ONE OF CHAOS. IT IS YOUR DESTINY WHICH WILL BE APPARENT SOON ENOUGH. FOR NOW, I COMMAND YOU TO SLIT YOUR OWN WRIST ABOVE THAT WATER CONTAINER. IT WILL NOT SPILL YOUR OWN BLOOD, BUT WILL POISON THEM. THEY SURELY WILL NOT SURVIVE.]

"My destiny..." He shrugged it off then did as he was told. He took out a small pocket knife and slit his wrist. A black substance dripped into the water container, dissolving without a trace. Before he could put away his knife, the cut in his wrist closed up and healed.

"Hmm..." he was amazed at what he just saw. "Maybe serving you won't be so bad... My destiny has to be better than everything I've been through..."

~~~

Zander had seen what he wanted. _"Sera, I've seen enough! Return us to our time!"_

There was a burst of light...Suddenly Zander felt as if his mind was soaring, transcending time itself. He looked down and saw he was back inside of Sera's home, sitting in one of her chairs.

"That evil son of a..." Zander muttered.

"Please, calm yourself. If he discovers that you have unearthed the truth, he will surely kill you."

Zander looked at his watch. "No... how long has it been since I got here?"

"I suppose about an hour and a half. Why? Is there another matter you must attend to?"

"I'm supposed to be at a Blackheart Chemical Processing Plant right now, and since I've been here for an hour, the tracker that Blackheart puts on all his employees can be used to track me... I'm sorry Sera, but I've got to go now..."

"Be careful." she said as Zander rushed out the door. "I fear this may be the last time we meet..."

---

Zander arrived at the chemical plant fifteen minutes later, and soon enough, he received a phone call from Jeff Blackheart.

"Zander, how are things at that chemical plant? According to the files, they will be providing fuels and preservation materials for the drilling project."

"I'm sorry sir, but I haven't gotten to check on the vital statistics of this place yet. I've been inspecting the plant in my own way and have not yet been given the criteria from the higher administrative members of the staff. I'll be sure to get on it right away."

"Be sure that you do. I plan on starting the drill testing in about forty-five minutes. You do not need to be witness nor is the information necessary to begin, but I wish to have it by the end of the day."

"Yes sir. What will your part be in the drill testing?"

"I'll be monitoring the seismic disturbance from several points in the city. Just to make sure there is no unnecessary anxiety among citizens as well. I'll be able to keep them in order."

"Okay, I'll be ready with the report when I return to HQ."

"Good. Keep in touch."

Zander let out a sigh of relief. He hadn't done anything yet, and just lied to Blackheart. He quickly entered the plant and got to work on his status report.

---

Blackheart put away his cell phone. "Haha, Zander, you liar. Seeing old friends when you should be on the job. I won't punish you... just yet... For there is more than one way to break a man..." he turned to the woman who was tied to a chair. "Right, Sera?"

She struggled to get free. "Let me go... You've let me be alone all these years and you come after me now?"

"It appears you've crossed paths with an old friend of yours... I left you alone as long as you did not interfere with my business, and now your intervention will not be tolerated!" He leered into her. "Now tell me, why was Zander here?"

"I'd rather lose my own life than betray his trust..."

"That can be arranged Sera... You probably can tell what I am capable of just by looking into me with your powers."

Sera remained silent. "Don't act like you don't know what I'm speaking of! I helped you develop those very abilities of yours! Ingrateful whore... If your life is the price you'll pay to protect Zander, then so be it." Another thought struck his mind. "However... I'm actually quite fond of you... Such a lovely face... I cannot harm such a thing... Perhaps this way will be much less painful, and you'll be an excellent addition to the collection of souls I have prepared for my master..."

A blinding light emitted from Sera's chest...


	14. Dual Duel

Chapter Fourteen: Dual Duel

The drill testing had begun minutes after Blackheart left Sera's house. There were a few tremors, but nothing too noticeable. Jeff didn't care. He wasn't really measuring any seismic disturbances. Zander was still at the Chemical Plant, standing outside by his car. He completed the report, and was trying to get ahold of Sera to make sure she was alright.

"Come on Sera... Pick up!" He rattled the phone. "Blackheart... He must have picked up on my location awhile ago. That's why he called..." Zander's heart started to sink. He dialed another number on his cell phone.

"This is Blackheart... What?" said Blackheart, his voice muffled by the receiver.

"It's Zander. I've completed the report and I'll head back to HQ as soon as I can."

"It won't be necessary. Come directly to the Spire. I'll be making another announcement to the city concerning the qualifying Duelists for the Finals."

"I see, and I'll need to be present correct?"

"Yes. Your data has been inputted into the database by Hunter, but you'll need to be there to execute your part of the program."

"Understood, I'll get to the Spire ASAP. How did the drilling go? I felt some tremors a few minutes ago."

"Nothing too concerning. Some old pipe systems were ruptured and cracked, but nothing flows through them anymore. No one should suspect a thing. The Spire is an area closed off to the public, so no one outside of my organization has any knowledge of what lies within, nor the existence of my giant drill."

There was a chill that passed over Zander. Then he heard a voice. 

__

"ZANDER! Please help me!"

"Sera!" he blurted out.

"What was that Zander? Something about Sera?"

"Nothing. I'm on my way to the Spire."

"Good. I want to know the condition of that plant, as it should be a part of my next project once we're done with uncovering what is beneath." He hung up.

__

"Sera... You're being held by Blackheart now?! I sense you fading away... I'll be damned if I follow another order from that madman... I'll cause a little madness of my own for once!"

Zander swiftly re-entered the chemical plant, passing the security gates without even bothering to show his identification. He made his way into a central control room, where Blackheart had made some special functions available to his higher ranking employees.

"If Blackheart wants to finish his insane ambitions, he'll have to get past me first!"

He swiped his ID card in a slot, which opened up a control panel. He flipped several switches around, then sealed off the control panel.

"This should cause some trouble..." Zander let out a short snort, then rushed to get to the Spire.

---

****

::::SPECIAL NEWS REPORT!::::

"Hey... what's this?" Tony said. "They were in the ninth inning too..." He was disappointed.

"Geez Tony, for all you know, it could be the end of the world, and you're only worried about baseball." Nick reclined in his chair.

They kept watching, wondering what the report was about.

"There have been several reported earthquakes in the past hour, but they are not of any dangerous magnitude. However, it has also been reported that several pipelines have ruptured in various points around New Mephisto City. These pipes have been spewing out a thick black sludge. Should you come in contact with it, we suggest you contact a hazardous material team and seek medical attention. There have already been several reported cases of people falling ill to this strange substance. It's speculated that this substance was used by the Blackheart Corporation in certain research and development projects, and was being dumped in the unused plumbing systems beneath the city. This is currently under investigation. We'll have more news on this story as it develops. And now we return you to your regularly scheduled programming." The news studio faded to a generic logo of the television station.

Tony and Nick were staring at each other, eye to eye.

"Black sludge... Dark Matter...! Tony, where's the info you found on that stuff!?"

"Over there on the table..." Tony pointed it out.

Nick picked up the stack of papers and read to himself.

__

"The people of this ancient civilization would use this black sludge-like potion to conduct rituals of black magic and illusion... It is said that it was a form of poison and hallucinogen. If this is the same substance as Dark Matter... than everyone in this city is in danger!"

"Tony, did my Aunt say where she went?"

"I think she went over to your house to pick up some clothes or something... Should we go get her?"

Nick was shaking in frustration. "I don't know! We can't risk being out there with Dark Matter pouring all over the city, but there are thousands of innocent people out there right now..."

The phone rang. They both stared at it nerviously. Tony's dad walked came back from the bathroom.

"Hey what happened? Did they score another homerun? What did I miss?" Tony's dad asked. The phone rang again, and he picked it up. His expression changed.

"Nick... your Aunt... she's in the hospital..."

---

Tony's father drove Nick, along with Tony, Laurna, and Ace to the hospital to see the condition of his Aunt. They were directed to a room where she was being monitored by several machines. The doctor spoke briefly to them.

"The chemical substance that is spreading all over this city has gotten to her too... It appears she is violently allergic to it, and has fallen into a coma. We have no idea to treat it... I'm afraid there's not much we can do for her right now. The substance is very poisonous and has gotten several people sick just by coming into contact with it. We don't know enough about the sickness to treat it... I'm sorry... We're full of cases like this... We've gotten hundreds come in with similar symptoms."

They entered the room, and were all completely silent. No one said a word. They just looked at Deborah as she lay there, lifeless and barely breathing. They left and sat back down in the waiting area.

"I can't see her like that... I just can't..." Nick had his head in his hands.

Suddenly, the Decoder Devices they were all carrying with them started glowing a bright blue light. The small LCD screen on them displayed the message "ALL DUELISTS WHO POSSESS FOUR REPORT TO THE BLACKHEART SPIRE IMMEDIATELY."

Nick looked at it. "No...not now! I can't go now!"

Tony's father turned to Nick. "Nick, be strong. It's what your Aunt would've wanted. I'll stay here with her. You guys have something to do."

Nick was reminded of his intent. He had to do this for his family. He had to be strong.

---

Nick, Tony, Laurna, and Ace carefully made their way to the Spire. They walked a few blocks from the hospital, avoiding streets that were covered in Dark Matter. The city was full of panic. Police cars, ambulances, fire trucks, and hazardous material teams were rushing all over the city, closing off certain streets and areas of the city, bringing people to the hospital, and cleaning up the poisonous Dark Matter. Finally, they reached the place that Nick was a little too familiar with, the Blackheart Spire. It looked different from the way Nick remembered. Weeks ago it had merely been a construction site. Now it was a huge tower, each level built slightly smaller than the previous one.

"So this is where our destinies await... Sends shivers down your spine doesn't it?" Ace said, trying to lighten the situation.

"Well... what happens now? It doesn't look like we just walk in through those doors." Nick said, as he looked up at the tower extending towards the sky.

"Well, we were called over here... Maybe all of the Duelists who collected four Decoder Devices need to be here before anything happens." Laurna was looking around, trying to see if there was any other people who had arrived. She was eager to see if the other Duelists were anyone she knew.

The doors to the Spire slowly opened. This caught everyone's attention. Three people emerged. They were three of Blackheart's henchmen, Siefer Gambianni, Sumga Hong, and Manuel Figo. Siefer stepped forward first.

"Mr. Blackheart is making several last minute preparations for your arrival. Mr. Blackheart also requests that all Duelists be present before they enter the Spire, so we have provided a challenge for those of you who are currently present. Sumga Hong, and Manuel Figo, fellow Eliminators, wish to duel any two of you who accept their challenge in a two versus two match. There will also be the standard rare card ante rule in effect, so this may be your last chance to improve your deck before facing the trials which await you in the Spire."

"You seem awfully polite today Siefer... Did Blackheart get you a new leash?" Ace taunted.

"Don't test me, you punk!" Siefer sneered, then turned around and re-entered the Spire.

Sumga and Manuel were less threatening and did not possess an ominous presense like Jeff Blackheart or Siefer, but they were still Blackheart's Eliminators, and they were familiar with what they were capable of. Sumga was a large man, six feet seven inches tall, wearing a plain white shirt with a long blue coat and black pants. His hair was dyed a deep red, and he wore a navy blue headband. Manuel was a small man, wearing a crimson red business suit. His hair was slicked back and barely reached his neck. This was not the first time Nick or Ace had seen these two. Nick had first seen them at the Commencement which seemed so long ago, and Ace had many run-ins with them in the past. They decided to accept the challenge.

"Well Nick, it looks like for now we'll be working as a team!"

"These guys won't stand a chance against us... Thanks to me!" The fire in Nick's eyes was ignited once again.

Sumga and Manuel were already wearing their Duel Disks, and were ready to go.

"Once you are done preparing for battle, prepare yourselves for defeat!" Sumga called out to them.

"We are the two most skilled duelists you two shall ever meet!" Manuel said.

"Now I hope the two of you won't be talking in rhyme this whole time. That's just about as annoying as a wind chime, or a sour lime, or a talking mime..." Ace mocked them.

"No Ace, it was just a coincidence. Now are you ready to begin or not?" Manuel was indignant.

"Whatever, you work for Blackheart, so I guess you don't know what a joke or humor is... So Nick, are you ready?"

"Whenever you are, Ace." He strapped on his Duel Disk and activated it.

"We will crush both of you with our superior decks and skills. Don't be too surprised if you have to give up your rarest cards to us!" Sumga said.

Sumga: 4000 Ace: 4000

Manuel: 4000 Nick: 4000

---

"I take first turn, then Ace, then Manuel and Nick is last. Now, begin! I draw. I summon Kaizer Seahorse in attack mode, place one card facedown in magic and trap zone. Turn end."

"Okay then, I'll start with Graceful Charity." Ace said.

"I'll use trap, Imperial Order. It can stop the effect of magic."

"I'll chain with the magic card, Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy it. Now I'll draw my three cards thanks to Graceful Charity."

__

"That's the advantage of going first... You'll be the first one who can counter anyone's move... Good thing Ace got past that trap card... Otherwise, I'd probably have some trouble during my first turn." Nick thought.

"I discard my Sword Hunter and Dark Blade. Now I use Monster Reborn on my Sword Hunter, and summon Gearfried the Iron Knight. One card facedown, and I end my turn."

"Right, my turn. I summon Witch of the Black Forest in attack mode, then I play the magic card, Tribute Doll. I sacrifice Witch of the Black Forest to special summon a level seven or higher monster. I summon Serpent Night Dragon. I take Lord of Dragons from my deck. I end my turn."

"Okay..." Nick drew, then frowned. "I'll set a card in my magic and trap zone, then one monster in facedown defense mode. Then, I'll play Swords of Revealing Light, preventing you and Manuel from attacking for three turns. End my turn."

Sumga smiled. "I use Harpie's Feather Duster. It will wipe the field of Nick and Ace's magic and trap card."

"You destroyed my Warrior Returning Alive magic card, not much of a loss." Ace said.

"My Skull Lair and Swords of Revealing Light are sent to the graveyard."

"Now, activate Descent of White Dragon, and offer Neo the Magical Swordsman. This summons my Paladin of White Dragon!"

A warrior riding a small white dragon flew onto the field. The little dragon snarled in Nick's face.

"Next, my Kaizer Seahorse is sacrificed to summon Blue-Eyes White Dragon. Blue-Eyes White Dragon, attack Sword Hunter, Burst Stream attack!"

Ace's Sword Hunter screamed in pain as the force of the Blue-Eyes obliterated it. Ace felt the shockwaves that resulted, and felt his lifepoints take a hit.

Sumga: 4000 Ace: 3450

Manuel: 4000 Nick: 4000

"Paladin of White Dragon, attack facedown monster of Nick!"

The dragon flew into the sky, and landed on top of the image of Nick's facedown monster. The Paladin shot a wave of light from its sword, and Nick's facedown card was destroyed.

"Paladin of White Dragon have special power to destroy facedown monster. Heh heh heh."

"You destroyed my Sangan, I'll use it to take Lord of Dragons from my deck."

"Turn end."

"Time for a change Sumga, I'll play Change of Heart on Blue-Eyes White Dragon! I'll have it attack... Manuel's Serpent Night Dragon!"

Sumga: 4000 Ace: 3450

Manuel: 3350 Nick: 4000

"Next, Gearfried attack Manuel directly!"

Gearfried slashed at Manuel with the blade on his arm, causing Manuel to buckle back a bit.

Sumga: 4000 Ace: 3450

Manuel: 1550 Nick: 4000

"Then, before I end my turn, I'll set one card facedown, and sacrifice your Blue-Eyes for Freed the Matchless General!"

"I counter summon with Bottomless Trap Hole! Matchless General removed from play!"

"Don't think I'll let you get away with that attack, Ace! I'll summon my Lord of Dragons in attack mode then play Flute of Summoning Dragon!"

"Ha, think again, I'll play Imperial Order!" Ace said.

"Hmph. I'll just have my Lord of Dragons attack Nick directly!"

Sumga: 4000 Ace: 3450

Manuel: 1550 Nick: 2800

"Hm, I'll summon Sapphire Dragon in attack mode and attack Manuel's Lord of Dragons!"

Sumga: 4000 Ace: 3450

Manuel: 0850 Nick: 2800

Sumga and Manuel were unaware of this, but Nick and Ace had planned ahead to take them down one at a time.

"I set one card facedown and end my turn."

"You will not win. I will sacrifice Paladin of White Dragon. Summons new Blue-Eyes White Dragon from inside deck! Summon Kaizer Seahorse in attack mode. Set one more card, end turn."

"I draw, then choose not to pay for Imperial Order, sending it to the grave. I summon Marauding Captain, and use his effect to summon my Hayabusa Knight! Then I equip Hayabusa Knight with United We Stand, raising his attack power to 3400! Hayabusa Knight attacks Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"

"No, I protect partner's lifepoints, not like you Ace! Holy Barrier - Mirror Force!"

"Damn it!" Ace watched as his Hayabusa Knight, Marauding Captain and Gearfried were destroyed. "I'll set one card down then end my turn."

"I'll use Monster Reborn on my Lord of Dragons, then play Flute of Summoning Dragons to summon Tyrant Dragon and Blackland Fire Dragon! Then I'll sacrifice Blackland Fire Dragon for Demon King of the Underworld Hades!"

Ace gasped quietly. This could be it for them if he unleashed all his monsters on either of them.

"I'll activate Call of the Haunted! Revive Sword Hunter from the graveyard!"

"Hm... a useless move." Manuel said. "Tyrant Dragon attack Sword Hunter!"

Ace's Sword Hunter was incinerated in a blaze of fire. All Ace could see was the glimmer of the swords before he was turned into ash.

"Now, Tyrant Dragon, attack Nick's Sapphire Dragon!"

Sumga: 4000 Ace: 3000

Manuel: 0850 Nick: 1800

"Next, Hades, attack Ace directly!"

Sumga: 4000 Ace: 0550

Manuel: 0850 Nick: 1800

"Lord of Dragons, attack Ace directly!"

The sorcerer dressed in a dragon-like robe began chanting a spell, and a ball of energy formed in front of him.

"Sorry Nick, looks like I'm out of this one... You're on your own." Ace feintly smiled.

Lord of Dragons launched the attack at Ace, bringing his lifepoints to zero.

Sumga: 4000 Ace: 0000

Manuel: 0850 Nick: 1800

"It looks like Ace is going to have to give up a rare card... Unles of course you take the win for your team Nick. I'll end my turn."

Nick drew a card from his deck. "I'll use my magic card Dark Hole! All your monsters are destroyed! Then I use Graceful Charity, drawing three cards from my deck... And I discard Dragon's Rage and Grey Wing. Then I use Monster Reborn to revive my Grey Wing, and summon another in attack mode! Grey Wing, attack Manuel directly!"

Sumga: 4000 Ace: 0000

Manuel: 0000 Nick: 1800

"Ugh...No..."

"Now, Grey Wing, attacks you Sumga, then my other Grey Wing attacks you twice!"

Sumga: 0100 Ace: 0000

Manuel: 0000 Nick: 1800

"I set the last card in my hand and end my turn."

"Duel not over yet, Nick. I have turn now. Draw." Sumga smiled. "Activate Raigeki. Destroy all Nick's monster!"

"Summon Kaizer Seahorse. Attach card Bright Castle, raise power 700 points!"

"I'll chain with my facedown card, Mystical Space Typhoon! Destroy Bright Castle!"

"Fine. Attack Nick! Shining Lance attack!"

"Counter with my next facedown card, Mirror Force!"

"Open my hidden card, Trap Jammer! Cancel trap activated in Battle Phase!"

Sumga's Kaizer Seahorse lunged at Nick with it's lance, poking a hole in the remainder of his lifepoints.

Sumga: 0100 Ace: 0000

Manuel: 0000 Nick: 0100

"Score is even now. End turn."

"C'mon Nick! Only 100 points to go! You can win this!" Ace called out to Nick.

Nick drew nervously once again. "Ah! I play Pot of Greed! I draw two cards. One monster facedown, and one set card. End."

"Foolish boy! One monster cannot protect you! Summon Zolga! Zolga attack facedown monster!"

Zolga's cape caused a bright light which revealed the facedown card as Troop Dragon, which was destroyed by the beams of light.

"I'll summon another Troop Dragon from my deck to protect my life points! And since you destroyed my mosnter, I'll play Michizure to destroy Kaizer Seahorse, and prevent you from attacking me any further this turn!"

"I am done."

"I draw... Then activate the magic card I just drew! Offerings to the Doomed!'

As the magic card materialized on the field, it grasped Zolga with bandages like a mummy. It was dragged into a pit by the bandages.

"I would have to skip my Draw Phase during my next turn, but there won't be one! Troop Dragon, deliver the finishing blow!"

The tiny dragon drew its sword and slashed at Sumga, dropping his lifepoints to zero.

Sumga: 0000 Ace: 0000

Manuel: 0000 Nick: 0100

"You did it Nick!" Ace wiped a bead of sweat off his forehead.

"Well played boys..." Manuel said. "Well, claim your prize. Here is my Tyrant Dragon."

"Nick, you should take that one."

"No argument here..." Nick took it from Manuel.

"Ace. Take this cards, Paladin of White Dragon and Descent of White Dragon!"

"Hmm... fair enough. So when do we enter the Spire?"

"When the two others arrive. I suppose that should be them now." Manuel said as he peered past Ace and the others.

"Well now, look who it is Nick!" Tony said.

"I'll be damned..." Nick said as two other duelists arrived.

Walking toward them were two of their friends from school... Jason Langdon and Manny Hung. They were all surprised and beaming to see such familiar faces.

"What is this? A school reunion?" Jason said. "Glad to see you guys. With all the crazy crap that's been going down lately, it'll be nice to know I'm around people I can trust."

"It's also good to know that you got here on your own, right Jason?" Laurna said, referring to his attempt to get Decoder Devices through Hunter.

"Yeah, I got here 100% legit. I also took Manny here as my apprentice... I guess you could say. He's a much more accomplished Duelist than he was in the past. Under my teaching, he managed to get four Decoders as well."

"Yup... Thought at first I didn't wanna come here. It seemed pretty dangerous." Manny said.

"So who's this guy in the red suit?"

"Oh..." Nick said as they all turned around. "A minute ago, there was another guy who we just dueled, Sumga Hong, an Eliminator. He must have gone back in. That's Manuel Figo, another Eliminator."

"Okay, so now that everyone is here, you'll be splitting up." Manuel pressed a button on a small remote he held in his hand. A platform rose out of the ground. "On this platform, there is an input port for each of you to insert each of your Decoder Devices, and you will have to enter the password assigned to you at the start of the tournament. Afterwards, you will then be authorized to enter through a door on the side of the Spire. Each of you will enter through a different door, and each is labeled with a color, and that color is given to you once your password is entered correctly. I advise you to be abrupt." He turned and re-entered the Spire from the front entrance.

"Well guys, this is it..." Nick said, as he stared down at the Decoder Devices in his hand.


	15. Enter the Spire!

Chapter Fifteen: Enter the Spire!

The time had finally come. The six Duelists who were able to collect four Decoder Devices would now meet their fate. Their fate, which lay within the Blackheart Spire. All they had to do now was decipher their passwords and enter the Spire.

Nick stood at the first port and entered his four Decoder Devices in the four slots. The screen flickered on and displayed a message.

[NOW DECODING DATA...]

Several seconds later, the screen changed.

[YOUR PASSWORD IS (T R A W E). ENTER THE SPIRE THROUGH THE BLUE DOOR AND INPUT YOUR PASSWORD INTO THE KEYPAD. BE SURE TO DECODE YOUR PASSWORD BEFORE INPUTTING ANY DATA INTO THE KEYPAD. THANK YOU FOR ENTERING THE NEW MEPHISTO CITY TOURNAMENT.]

"I'll see you inside!" Nick walked away, looking around the Spire's doors until he found the blue one. "Okay... T, R, A, W, E... My first Decoder Device says..." He put the other three back into his pocket and pressed the button on the side of the Device.

[WA-]

"WA... Hmmm well the door it blue, so maybe water...? I better make sure." He took out his second Decoder.

[-T-]

"Okay then, it's WATER." He looked at the keypad's small letters and carefully typed in the word 'WATER.' The door opened wide. Nick hesitantly entered...

---

"My turn..." Laurna stepped toward the next port. She gently set the four Decoders into their slots. She got the same message as Nick.

[NOW DECODING DATA...]

[YOUR PASSWORD IS (M L A E F). ENTER THE SPIRE THROUGH THE RED DOOR AND INPUT YOUR PASSWORD INTO THE KEYPAD. BE SURE TO DECODE YOUR PASSWORD BEFORE INPUTTING ANY DATA INTO THE KEYPAD. THANK YOU FOR ENTERING THE NEW MEPHISTO CITY TOURNAMENT.]

"Hmm, red. I'll see you guys later..." Laurna waved to everyone as she found the red door.

"Let's see... (M L A E F) that's easy! It's FLAME!" She eagerly entered the password into the keypad. The door opened slowly and Laurna hopped inside.

---

"I guess I can go next." Manny said. He walked to the next port and timidly set down his four Decoder Devices.

[NOW DECODING DATA...]

[YOUR PASSWORD IS (W A H D S O S). ENTER THE SPIRE THROUGH THE BLACK DOOR AND INPUT YOUR PASSWORD INTO THE KEYPAD. BE SURE TO DECODE YOUR PASSWORD BEFORE INPUTTING ANY DATA INTO THE KEYPAD. THANK YOU FOR ENTERING THE NEW MEPHISTO CITY TOURNAMENT.]

"Wish me luck Jason! I'll wait for you inside." Manny walked over to the Spire's wall, searching for a black door, as the whole building was practically pitch black.

"Good luck Manny... you'll need it..." Jason muttered to himself quietly.

"Agh... My password was... (W A H D S O S). Hmm... What could that be? Uhmm.. W...S... SW... SHWO... DWHOSAS... Oh, it's SHADOWS... I see... the door is black so the password is SHADOWS!"

After a few minutes of trying to figure his password, and forgetting he could use his Decoder Devices to help him, Manny managed to enter the Spire.

---

"Would you like to go next Ace?" Jason asked.

"It's okay, you can go ahead." he replied.

"Thanks." Jason nodded his head to him.

He approached the next port that rose out of the platform and set his Decoder Devices in the four slots.

[NOW DECODING DATA...]

"Hmm...this technology is pretty advanced and high tech... Too bad Hunter works for them. Otherwise he'd probably be my best friend..."

[YOUR PASSWORD IS (T I G L H). ENTER THE SPIRE THROUGH THE WHITE DOOR AND INPUT YOUR PASSWORD INTO THE KEYPAD. BE SURE TO DECODE YOUR PASSWORD BEFORE INPUTTING ANY DATA INTO THE KEYPAD. THANK YOU FOR ENTERING THE NEW MEPHISTO CITY TOURNAMENT.]

"Ha, easy... Light. All right, now where's that white door?"

---

"Go ahead Tony." Ace said.

"Whatever you say man. Don't even think of running off now..."

"You know I won't. I've got business with Blackheart too."

"I know. See you inside." Tony walked up to the next port and set down his four Decoders. "Well, this is it..." he said to himself.

[NOW DECODING DATA...]

[YOUR PASSWORD IS (R U H R C I N A E). ENTER THE SPIRE THROUGH THE GREEN DOOR AND INPUT YOUR PASSWORD INTO THE KEYPAD. BE SURE TO DECODE YOUR PASSWORD BEFORE INPUTTING ANY DATA INTO THE KEYPAD. THANK YOU FOR ENTERING THE NEW MEPHISTO CITY TOURNAMENT.]

He picked his Decoders back up as the port lowered back into the platform.

"Green door, huh? Oh there it is..." He stepped up to it and examined the keypad. "Let's see what Decoder #1 says..."

[HUR-]

"HUR...? Ah, HURRICANE!"

---

"Here I go..." Ace was talking to himself. He looked up to the sky. "Vance... wherever you are... I'll find you soon..."

He silently set his Decoders into the final port.

[NOW DECODING DATA...]

[YOUR PASSWORD IS (T A R E H). ENTER THE SPIRE THROUGH THE BROWN DOOR AND INPUT YOUR PASSWORD INTO THE KEYPAD. BE SURE TO DECODE YOUR PASSWORD BEFORE INPUTTING ANY DATA INTO THE KEYPAD. THANK YOU FOR ENTERING THE NEW MEPHISTO CITY TOURNAMENT.]

He quietly walked up to the door and typed in 'EARTH.' The door opened and he entered the Spire.

---

They were all standing in separate pitch-black rooms. A screen lowered from the ceiling. The same message played in all six dark rooms.

An image of Jeff Blackheart was displayed on the screen.

"Hello Duelists, and congratulations for making it this far. Here at Blackheart Corporation we are always about innovation and developing new and more efficient ways to increase the quality of our lives. To demonstrate this, we have provided a special trial for each Duelist. It will use the newest technology we have developed. It is a special Duel Monsters simulator which utilizes each and every card in your deck. Operation methods and a simple guide to the basics of the simulator will come later in this message.

In a brief explanation, the simulator is a combination of borrowed technology from the Kaiba Corporation and my own special modifications. My modifications make the system so realistic and so life-like that you will feel everything and sense everything in the virtual environment. Your every thought and action can and will be digitized into data and expressed as an interaction with the virtual environment. You Duelists have the very grand honor of being the first to use this system before it is widely released and distributed to the public.

Now please enter the next room, where the next part of the message shall be played."

The screen flickered off, and a door was illuminated in each of the six rooms.

---

Nick, Tony, Laurna, Ace, Jason, and Manny had all entered a hexagon-shaped room, where a comfortable couch was put in the middle. They all took a seat and waited for the message to come on again.

"So...what do you think of this virtual system thing?" Nick asked.

"I think it's a big load. I don't trust anything Blackheart wants me to hook myself up to." Ace said.

"I doubt Blackheart had planned for all of us to be here though... Especially after all the run-ins with his Eliminators... He couldn't have arranged this just for us... And if he did, then his corporation would undergo a lot of investigations..." Laurna said to all of them, as she tried to ease the tension.

"Well, there's the screen coming down... I suppose we should listen to this..." Tony said.

The larger screen flickered on.

"Now that I have your attention again, please pay close attention to these instructions and guide to utilizing this Virtual Duel Monsters Simulation System. Before entering the virtual world, you must choose one card from your deck that you wish to represent yourself within this world. Each card has a special ability that will affect each of your trials in a different way. Choose wisely. Once you do so, you may enter the pod and insert your deck into the scanner. The pod will close, and the trial will begin."

The screen changed to an image of Jeff Blackheart, dressed up as Vampire Lord.

"Here is the basic explanation of the system:

You begin with 8000 lifepoints. You will become the commander of your deck. As such, you will be able to attack and defend yourself at will. Monsters and obstacles will try to attack you and reduce your lifepoints. Your goal is to use your deck and your abilities as Deck Commander to complete the assigned area of your trial. Here in the Blackheart Spire, we will use this system to assess who is most fit to be a finalist in this tournament. Two players will be ejected from the competition with the worst score and time for their area. Your lifepoints being reduced to zero also results in an instant ejection.

Summoning, attacking and defending work differently here. When you begin the trial, you draw six cards from your deck. Every four minutes, you may draw one more card from your deck. There is a time limit of sixty minutes for each area. To summon a monster, you must pay lifepoints equal to half to attack power of the monster. This monster may attack as many times as you wish until it is destroyed. There is no limit to the number of monsters you can summon. When you destroy a monster or obstacle by attacking, you may draw one card. If a monster was destroyed, you gain lifepoints equal to the monster's attack power. You Deck Commander works in a similar way, but is only destroyed when lifepoints reach zero. When using a monster to defend from an attack and the defense points are higher than the attack points of the attacking monster, that monster is destroyed, but no card or lifepoints are gained.

See the following example..."

They all watched the screen as the Vampire Lord roamed around the halls of a fortress. As he approached a corner, Reaper of the Cards lunged at him from the shadows. The Reaper's attack missed, causing it to stumble into a wall. Blackheart turned around and launched a barrage of bats from his cape. His lifepoints were increased by the Reaper's attack power, and he drew a card.

"This is an example of attacking an enemy monster."

Blackheart continued walking the halls of the fortress when a Dark Bat attacked him. He raised his cape in defense. The Bat's attack was deflected and as a result, it was destroyed.

"This is an example of defending an enemy attack. No lifepoints or cards are gained."

Next, Blackheart demonstrated summoning.

"Monsters' effects are different in the virtual realm. Use the help screen on your Duel Disk if you need an explanation of how an effect works here. You can also use this for magic and traps as well."

Blackheart pointed out the screen added to Duel Disks in this virtual world. He pulled out a card from his hand, and said, "Summon Giant Orc!" A big, red "-1100" appeared over his head as the Giant Orc materialized from the card. 

"Giant Orc, attack this wall!" He pointed to a cracked wall. The Orc smashed it as commanded. Inside the room there was a Goblin Attack Force, enjoying drinks. Blackheart pulled another card from his hand. 

"Activate Warrior Elimination!" The Goblin Attack Force was turned to dust. He turned around to see an angel floating about. It then turned around...It was the angelic and demonic figure from the magic card Change of Heart. It was headed straight for his Giant Orc.

"Activate Eight Magical Absorbers!" A small device materialized from the card, and absorbed in the winged figure like a vacuum.

"This is enough to get you started on the basics. Any other questions can be answered on your help screen while within the virtual world."

The screen rose back into the ceiling. A door opened in front of the couch. It led to another dark room. A voice came onto the PA system.

[Please proceed into the room before you.]

They did as they were told. The six of them walked toward the dark room, and as they approached it, an array of lights came on. This revealed the room's contents. There were six virtual reality pods, three on each side of the room. In the center of the room, there was a sort of podium, where a woman was standing. The group didn't recognize her, but it was Sera.

She spoke into the microphone again. "Each of you please enter a pod. We will begin soon."

"First things first, who are you?" Nick asked.

Sera just stood there, staring blankly at the wall in front of her.

'Useless... She must be one of Blackheart's drones or something. Let's just do what she says so we can get along with this." Ace said.

They all took a seat inside separate pods. Jason, Nick and Laurna on one side, and Tony, Manny, and Ace on the other.

"Please insert your decks into the slot on your right hand side. The pod will close once you have done so. A helmet will lower into the pod. Fit it so that the visor comes right above your nose."

As they all followed Sera's instructions, the room became dark again.

---

Nick and the others began to feel somewhat dizzy. Through the helmets they could see a swirl of colors and designs. After a few seconds, the sensation stopped. Their pods opened up. The lights came back on.

Ace was the first to get out.

"Did something go wrong? Ace said.

The others made their way out of the pods.

"I dunno... Did anyone else see those crazy colors and stuff?" Manny asked.

"I think we all did." Laurna said, as she felt somewhat disoriented.

"Wait a minute... Where did all the pods go? They're gone!" Tony exclaimed.

Jason looked around. "That's odd... they were here a minute ago."

"Forget the pods... What happened to the door we used to come in here?" Ace inquired.

At that moment, another figure entered the room. Jeff Blackheart.

"No need to panic my young friends... You have already entered the virtual world. The transition between the worlds is nearly seamless.

"Impressive..." Jason muttered to himself.

"I assume that you have all seen the instructional message?"

"Forget that Blackheart! Where's my brother?" Nick yelled.

"I'm sorry, this is an automated message. Your question was not acknowledged."

"I welcome you to the virtual world of Duel Monsters." Blackheart said.

The room started to twist around and reconfigure itself. It changed into a small blue colored room with a huge door at one end. On the other side there were six chairs and a long table.

"This is the lounge area. Only one of you will participate in one of the special trials at one time. You will be able to watch the progress of your comrade through this screen."

In front of the table, a huge screen materialized from nothing. It flickered on and showed the Blackheart Corporation logo.

"Now is the time for you to choose your Deck Commanders. You may choose any monster card in your deck. Allow me to demonstrate."

Blackheart pulled his deck from his Duel Disk and chose a card. He showed it to everyone. It was Demon Soldier.

"Demon Soldier, become one with me!" Blackheart called out.

The card created a transparent image of the monster, then it moved over Blackheart's body. There was a brief flash, then Blackheart was standing there, wearing the same armor as the Demon Soldier.

"As soon as you are all finished making your choices, the trials can begin. There will be an announcement to name the first participant. Your names will be chosen randomly to determine the participant." Blackheart's image then disappeared.

---

Back in the real world...

Deborah Poljacik was falling deeper into her coma. The doctors had many similar patients. They didn't know how to treat them... They had no idea how the Dark Matter affected their bodies. Everyone felt so helpless.

A doctor was standing over Deborah, talking to some colleagues of his.

"There's nothing we can do for her... She had a violent reaction to this substance, and her internal organs are deteriorating. Even if she woke up again, there would be no chance for her to recover... It would be better for her to be put to rest. We need to have the consent of a relative to do so... The only one who would have the legal power to do so is her adopted son, Duo."

"Let's get in contact with him. He needs to know the condition that she is in..."

---

The six of them were seated at the table. They looked through their decks trying to decide who would be a suitable Deck Commander.

"So, since we don't know what we'll be facing in our trials... It would be a good idea to choose a monster with a Commander Ability that would be good in a lot of situations, right?" Nick asked.

"That sounds reasonable. Although I can't really decide what I should choose from my deck..." Tony was looking through his deck with an exasperated look on his face.

"I know who I'm going with..." Ace stood up. He held a card out. "Marauding Captain, become one with me!"

After a brief flash, Ace became the Marauding Captain.

"Whoa Ace, you're looking good in that armor..." Laurna smiled. "What sort of ability does Marauding Captain have here?"

Ace took a look at his Duel Disk and read the help screen, "Marauding Captain: When summoning a Warrior-Type monster, you are allowed to summon another Warrior-Type for free."

"Sounds good... Although my choice is better..." Nick said. "Lord of Dragons, become one with me!" Nick then became the Lord of Dragons. "Lord of Dragons protects my Dragon-Types from the magic, trap and obstacle effects!"

"I think I've got my Commander..." Laurna twirled around and called out, "Mystical Sand, become one with me!" There was a flash, and Laurna was floating around on a broom stick.

"Cute..." Ace said.

"I boost up all my female monsters by 500 points, and Earth attribute monsters are protected given an additional 300 point bonus! This should help me over power whatever they wanna throw at me!" Laurna fell off the broomstick. "Ow... I guess I was a little too excited there..."

Ace couldn't help but giggle.

"Okay, now for my selection..." Jason pulled out his card. "Kaiku, Turner of the Dead, become one with me!"

"That's a cool mask you've got there..." Nick complimented him.

"Thanks. Kaiku's ability allows me to cut the summon cost for level four monsters in half, and I can prevent cards from being removed from my graveyard."

"My turn..." Tony said. "Century Thief...become one with me!" he called out. "Heh, when I destroy a monster, I can name a card, and destroy all of the card within a certain radius!"

"Well, looks like it's my turn." Manny took a card from his deck. "Patrician of Darkness, become one with me!"

"Patrician of Darkness...? I don't remember you ever using that card..." Nick said.

"Well, I'd have to change my deck to get this far... Patrician's ability lets me redirect enemy attacks and power up my Zombie-Types by 300..." Manny smiled.

"Zombies... Interesting..." Nick said.

"Well, that's all of us... I guess we're going to being soon." Ace was looking around as he awaited the announcement for the first participant. "That imitation Blackheart should be here since we're all done selecting our commanders."

The huge door at the other end of the room opened. In came Jeff Blackheart, although this time, he was Vampire Lord.

"Speak of the Devil..." Tony said.

---

"Hunter, start the drill. The boss wants us to be past the layer of bedrock underneath Old Mephisto in three days or less. It would be in our best interest to start now before we're needed to take part in the trials." Zane said.

"Yes, Zane. Right away..." Hunter kept typing on his computer. "The hydraulic engine should be ready in about fifteen minutes."

Zander was standing by the window, staring at the sky. "So this whole building... It can completely reverse on itself and go underground?"

"Correct Zander... That's why all the rooms go in a circle around the center of the Spire. When we dig down deep enough, the highest room and pass through the center of the Spire and go all the way down to the deepest point. It takes each layer lower and so on. The Spire itself is much like a cone. The mechanism can make the cone reverse so it's pointing down."

"And from there...Blackheart will try to find the Gate to the Underworld... Then he'll present all those souls he's stolen to his master..."

"Uhh... Right... I'm not sure about that, but whatever you say."

"I saw those people hooked up to those machines... He uses them to control the monsters in the virtual world. Their brains still function when the body lacks a soul. Blackheart didn't want them to go to waste, so he just uses them as dummies..." Zander looked disgusted.

"Zander... You have never questioned Blackheart. Do I sense some sort of rebellion here...?" Zane said.

"No. I just think what he's doing is pointless. The people should be allowed to rest. Not kept alive with no hope of returning to their families. Hunter could have easily programmed the system so that there would be no need or any of this."

"Just be careful what you say... You don't want Blackheart to get angry." Hunter said. "There... the drill should be ready now. Begin drilling..."

"Not yet... I want to take one last look at the sky before we're all brought to Hell." Zander said, as he looked out the window.

"Hey there was someone calling from the hospital looking for that Pojacik kid's brother..." Siefer stuck his head into the control room. "All the Dark Matter that flooded the streets got his Aunt sick or something... They were asking whether they should take her off life support."

Zander turned around. "And what did you say?"

"I just told them to do it. It's not as if Duo could have answered in the condition he's in." Siefer chuckled in a sinister manner.

Zander turned toward the window again. He whispered to himself, "I'm responsible for this..."

---

Blackheart walked towards them. His cape seemed to flow although there was no sign of wind. "I see you've all chosen your Deck Commanders. We'll begin in a few minutes. I simply have a few words for you. Manny Hung... You seem to be the underdog around here. I hope you take this time to show those who look down upon you think twice before underestimating you again. Jason...You seem to be too trusting. That itself can be a fatal flaw. Laurna, your reliance on your friends may be your downfall. Ace Sotras... You've thrown yourself into the fray, thinking that somehow you can find your brother. I can assure you, defeat me and you'll find Vance safe and unharmed. Antonio Nicosia, you have the least to gain here, and the most to lose, but you are here to stand together with your friends. I admire your courage. Nikolas... Nick... Nicky... What can I say? Your brother Duo is waiting for you." he laughed. "I wish you all good luck. Now to choose the first participant."

Another table materialized in front of him.

"Each of you place a monster card from your deck facedown here. I will shuffle them and choose one. The card's owner will be the next participant."

They all did as he said. Nick slammed his card onto the table because the sight of Blackheart infuriated him. Blackheart took the cards and shuffled them. He placed the six cards facedown on the table and put his finger on one. He revealed the card Despair from Darkness.

"Hm, whose card is this?" He held it out.

"it's mine." Manny stepped up.

"Ah, Manny, well you're the first participant. Now we must select the field on which your trial will take place." Six cards appeared in Blackheart's hands. He did the same with them and placed them facedown on the table. "Choose one."

Manny picked up a card and looked at it. "It says Graveyard Area on it."

"This should be interesting..." he smiled. "Your chosen Deck Commander is the Patrician of Darkness... You should feel right at home in the Graveyard... It was the area designed by Manuel Figo... Now go and prove anyone who has ever underestimated you wrong!" He smiled again, then disappeared along with the table in a cloud of mist.

Manny slipped the Despair from Darkness card back into his deck and approached the door. He turned and said, "See you guys later..." He seemed nervous. After a deep breath, he walked through as the door closed behind him.

"At least we can watch him through this screen..." Nick said.

"We'll be rooting for you..." Jason said to himself.


	16. Graveyard Ghouls

Chapter Sixteen: Spire Trial I: Graveyard Ghouls

Manny stood inside an empty black room. In front of him, there was some sort of display that said:

****

[Entering new area.]

[Loading Field: 59% complete.]

[Reloading Trial Data.]

[Loading Field: 84%.]

Manny closed his eyes as the count got closer to 100%.

"I can do this... I've gotten so far. Now it's time to show them what I'm made of!"

He opened his eyes.

****

[Please enter.]

A door appeared in front of him. He took a deep breath and walked through. A voice announced his arrival.

****

[Welcome to the Graveyard Area. You have 60 minutes to complete your task. You must find the 13 graves, which contain a piece of a statue. You must then re-construct the statue in the center of the area. You must also defeat the boss character in the area. Your trial begins in... 3...2...1.]

---

"Fools..." Blackheart said. "They have no idea..." He laughed.

"Something funny sir?" Zander asked.

"Ah yes, Zander..." Jeff got up from his desk. "I've read your report. All things seem to be in working order. That's good to know."

"Yes it is, sir."

"Oh yes, and if you were wondering why, I just thought it was funny that those fools think they're safe trusting their lives to those virtual reality pods we've developed. It was nearly impossible to improve on the borrowed Kaiba Corp. technology... So all we did was create a hybrid of magic and technology..."

"Magic? I don't understand."

"You see... Dark Matter is a substance that has been around for thousands of years... But 'Dark Matter' is merely the name I have created for it. It is truly the blood of the legendary Dark God of Chaos, Mephisto..." Jeff smiled as he stared at the veins in his arm. "Ancient civilizations used it to give themselves great powers of sorcery and magic. I've fused that power with modern technology..."

"And how exactly have you done that? I'm afraid I still don't understand what you've done."

"The virtual reality system runs on a steady supply of Dark Matter... It is true that it is a hallucinogenic and poisonous substance, but when used carefully, it can enhance the experience of being in the virtual world.... It also allows me to control every single thing that happens within that world."

"But what about the exposure to it? Isn't it harmful? We've used the virtual reality systems ourselves..." Zander was worried.

"No need to concern yourself Zander... Unless there is a sort of malfunction in the system, there is no danger."

Zander raised an eyebrow. "I still don't understand the need for Dark Matter usage... couldn't we have done this without the 'magic'?"

"I'll let you in on a secret of mine Zander... Ever since Lord Mephisto has endowed more power upon me, I've been able to do so much more than I could before... I could extract the soul of a man by using an ancient spell... Now, I can do so with a mere thought. I wanted this experience to be special for the finalists of the tournament... So I've used the very people they hold dear to control the monsters of the virtual world. They are connected to the system through a magical bind, keeping their brain active while their body lacks a soul... This extends the limit of a computer limited AI. With a small cost..."

"The cost is the human soul? What are you planning to do with so many?"

"When we reach the Gate to the Underworld, I must offer something to my master, or he will not grant the world the gift of Destruction and Chaos. He will give me the power I need to rule over this world... And you...All of you will be at my side as I lead you all to positions of power across the world... And you will all have me to thank for it as you rule along side the Chosen One of Chaos! HAhaHAHahAHHAHahAhhaHAhahahAhAHhHAAA!!!!" He laughed maniacally.

Zander backed out of the room slowly. "That madman..."

---

Current Status:

Manny Hung

Deck Commander: Patrician of Darkness

Current Lifepoints: 8000

Time Remaining: 59:57

Manny was looking at his surroundings. All he could see in front of him was a sign that simply said, "Cemetery." There was a thick fog that obscured his vision. He cautiously walked foward with cards ready in his hand.

"Hmm, I better summon a monster just to get started." He took a look at the cards he was currently holding. "Summon Master Kyonshee!"

****

-875

Manny: 7125

"Master Kyonshee... It's boosted to 2050 thanks to my ability. Now, let's find the pieces of that statue!"

Master Kyonshee nodded and followed him. He looked around various part of the area, but couldn't find any graves. There were small statues of angels and lots of dried up trees. The fog was keeping him very disoriented. He wandered around, but found nothing.

Time Remaining: 41:32

Manny looked down at the time display on his Duel Disk.

"Damn, I've wasted a lot of my time already! I'd better get moving!" He picked up the pace in his walking. Finally, he saw a single gravestone. He examined it carefully. He read the inscription: Fragments of my master lie buried in the grave of many.

"Hmm... Maybe... If I..." Manny drew his fist back and slammed it into the gravestone. He waited for a few moments, but there was nothing but silence.

"I guess not." He started to walk away, but felt a presence. Suddenly, Manny was knocked to the ground.

****

-1600

Manny: 5525

Manny was caught off guard. He turned around and saw a Shadow Ghoul looming over him. It raised its claw and was poised to strike.

"Master Kyonshee! Take care of him!"

Master Kyonshee took a leap into the air and came down hard with his foot meeting Shadow Ghoul's face.

"Good save there Kyonshee..."

****

+800 Draw one card.

Manny: 6325

Manny looked on the ground where the Shadow Ghoul was knocked out. Its body fizzled away into dust. It left a piece of the statue on the ground. A hand. It pointed to the northwest.

Manny picked it up. "I guess it was pointing me in that direction... I better hurry..."

Statue Pieces: 01

Time Remaining: 37:08

He continued in the direction that the hand pointed in him, when finally, he came upon a section of the area with many gravestones and burial sites.

"Buried in the grave of many... This must be the place. Well Master Kyonshee, smash as many of these gravestones as you can, I'll Summon Fear from Darkness to help you!"

****

-875

Manny:5450

A shadow emerged from the ground. Fear from Darkness stood next to Master Kyonshee.

"Okay, Kyonshee, Fear, destroy as many gravestones as you can. Help each other destroy any monsters that appear, and bring back as many pieces of the statue that you find as soon as you finish searching that corner of the cemetery!"

Fear from Darkness went back into the shadows and followed Kyonshee as they followed his orders.

"Hmm, now to do some searching of my own... Summon Royal Keeper!"

****

-800

Manny: 4650

"Royal Keeper, follow my lead and break the gravestones in this area!"

The Royal Keeper did as he said, and broke the gravestones the came upon.

"No monsters seem to be coming out of these graves... It's odd. Oh well." He picked up pieces of the statue that they found.

Statue Pieces: 09

Time Remaining: 24:33

"Okay, I've still got time. I'm done with this part of the cemetery, I should go check on how Master Kyonshee and Fear from Darkness are doing."

---

"Manny seems to be doing okay so far..." Nick said. "Right Jason?"

"Yeah, he just needed to find his way around." Jason kept his eyes glued on the screen displaying the current trial being held.

"He seems to have gotten a definite theme going with his deck... I remember watching him duel Nick before, and he seemed somewhat scatter-brained. Did you help him out with that Zombie Deck of his?"

"Yeah... It was surprising to see how much better he did when he had one theme going in his deck. He managed to acquire those four Decoder Devices like they were nothing. Although, he may have gotten to be a better duelist, that doesn't change how he thinks...or the way his mind works, rather. I'm afraid he may make a mistake that will cause him to fail this trial."

"Oh have more faith in him than that Jason! You taught him a lot of what he knows!" Laurna said.

"True, but I can't say that I know as much as some of you." Jason held Kaiku's mask in his hand.

"Have more confidence in yourself than that man!" Tony nudged him with his big top hat. "You got to the Finals! That counts for something!"

"I guess you're right." Jason went back to fixating on the screen. His eyes widened. "No! Manny!"

---

Statue Pieces: 12

Time Remaining: 17:29

Manny: 2850

"Damn.. I wish those monsters hadn't snuck up on my Master Kyonshee and Fear from Darkness... That would've saved me a lot of lifepoints. As long as I can find that last piece and take out a few weaker monsters, I should have enough life to be able to take out the boss."

Manny wandered around the area where his Kyonshee and Fear were destroyed by several monsters. His Royal Keeper followed closely behind him, just as it had done before.

"Now where could that last piece be... I saw the statue on my way here... It's rebuilding itself on its own... I just seem to be missing the head."

Manny's LP dropped.

****

-500

Manny: 2350

"What the hell?" He turned around and saw that his Royal Keeper was gone. He looked around for a monster, but didn't see one. "Damn! There's something here... but I can't see it! Wait... I've got it! Activate Dark Piercing Light!"

A bright light came from the card, revealing any hidden objects in the area. He saw a shadow that was being cast on the ground despite that nothing was around.

"Ah ha! I see you perfectly clear Shadow Ghoul!" He ran up to the shadow and attacked it himself. The attack was deflected, and he took some damage.

****

-1000

Manny: 1350

"Damn... what the hell is that thing? Wait... I took 1000 damage... That means if it defended against my attack, then it has 3000 defense points... Wall Shadow!"

Without warning, huge walls surrounded him. He was imprisoned inside a small labyrinth.

"Aw geez, nothing is ever easy..."

He could see Wall Shadow pushing itself through the walls. He tried to get ready for the moment it would attack, leaving itself vulnerable. Moments later, Wall Shadow emerged from the wall. It taunted him.

"Ha! I have you now!" He rushed at it, trying to deliver a finishing blow to it.

Wall Shadow reached into the wall, and pulled out Fusion Blade Murasame.

"Crap!" Wall Shadow took a swing at him, but Manny slid under it. It disappeared back into the wall. "If that thing has Fusion Blade Murasame, then it has 2400 attack points... That must be the reason my monsters were destroyed earlier...And how my lifepoints dropped so much. If I'm going to take that thing down... I'm going to have to risk it... Summon! Nosferatu Lich!"

-1300

Manny: 0050

"And now since you're powered up by me, you have 2900 attack points... Now make sure that Wall Shadow doesn't surprise attack us!"

Manny read the help screen on his Duel Disk. "Hm, so your special ability works differently here... You can summon a Zombie that has been previously destroyed... And I gain lifepoints equal to its attack power... That should come in handy once we get out of here..." Wall Shadow showed its face once again. "Lich! Behind you!"

Nosferatu Lich didn't turn around.

"What are you doing man? Wall Shadow is behind you!"

Wall Shadow glided past the Lich and was about to strike down Manny. As it raised the blade and prepared to strike.... Time seemed to slow down. The blade was inches from Manny, and there was no time for him to react.

Nosferati Lich tapped its staff on the ground. Wall Shadow stopped in its tracks and fell to the ground.

"Whoa. Close call there..." Manny said as he saw the Wall Shadow lying on the ground.

The Lich tapped its staff again, and a barrage of spirits surrounded Wall Shadow, and dragged it away into the realm of spirits.

+1200

Manny: 1250

"Odd... the Labyrinth Wall didn't go away. Oh wait... I can draw a card since Lich destroyed a monster." He drew a card from his deck. "Ha, this should help me get out of here. Activate Fissure!"

The walls around him began to shake violently. Manny stood his ground as everything around him crumbled into dust. In front of him there was a lone gravestone.

"Ah, that must be where the last statue piece is..." He walked up to it and smashed it. "Okay... that makes thirteen pieces total... The statue should be complete now! That must be where I go next."

A blue light came from the shattered stones, and dissipated into the night.

"Hm, what was that? The grave must had something inside it...?" He waited a few moments again. There was nothing, so he proceeded.

He could see the statue ahead of him, as the fog was starting to clear up.

"It's awfully quiet... This statue isn't doing anything. I recognize this monster though... Demon King of the Underworld Hades..." He looked around again. "Maybe I should use Nosferatu Lich's ability now... Before I miss my chance. Activate Nosferatu Lich's special ability!"

Nosferatu Lich's staff glowed. He tapped it on the ground. The ground trembled a bit.

"Arise! Master Kyonshee!"

****

+1750

Manny: 3000

Master Kyonshee emerged from the earth, and brushed itself off. It nodded at Manny and gave an abrupt grunt.

"Okay... now what to do with this statue?"

Behind him, lurked a monter he had overlooked. Hidden in the Darkness was a dragon. A dragon born from the soul of a wicked knight.

"Damn, suddenly it got really windy..." Manny said, as he was unaware of the looming threat.

He continued examining the statue, but the dragon approached. Manny was in its sights. It reared its head back and prepared to launch its attack, Nightmare Sonic Blast.

Manny was still unaware. He felt a surge of energy nearby, but couldn't tell where it was coming from.

Suddenly, a voice came from outside the environment...

__

"Manny...No!!!

"Jason?" He said. He turned around. His gaze was met by Serpent Night Dragon... It was already releasing the energy it had stored. This time there was no time at all for Manny or his monsters to react. He felt a rush of punishing winds, which seemed to be razor-sharp.

"Aggghhhh...!!!" He screamed in pain.

****

-2350

Manny: 0650

"Dammit... Nosferatu Lich! Attack with Curse of Decay!"

It did as he commanded, taking his staff in both hands, and casting a spell upon the Serpent Knight Dragon. It dropped to the ground, and seemingly decomposed into the dirt.

****

+1175

Manny: 1825

"This should give me more breathing room..." Manny was breathing heavily.

"Well done.... Ha ha ha..." Manny spun around to see who spoke.

The statue had come to life. Demon King of the Underworld Hades... But something was different. Manuel Figo had taken its form.

"Tell me, what's your name?"

"Manny Hung... are you the boss character in this area?"

"A fine name... I'm Manuel Figo... Eliminator and worshipper of Darkness. Defeat me, and you'll successfully complete your trial!"

"I see... so then what are we waiting for? Let's begin!"

Manny: 1825

Manuel: 8000

"You're not in a very good position Manny. I have all my lifepoints while you have very little of your own remaining."

"I don't care. You won't win!"

"I start by activating one of my Deck Commander's abilities! Skill Drain!"

****

-1000

Manuel: 7000

"Now, any ability that you may try to use against me will not work at all! So that means the monsters you currently have lose the power increase you gave them!"

"That means... They are returned to their original attack power..."

"You have less than ten minutes to defeat me as well... I don't think you can do it. Right now... Nosferatu Lich may be stronger than me, but I activate Demon's Cry! I'll pay 600 of my own lifepoints to lower your Lich to 2000 attack points!"

****

-600

Manuel: 6400

"Now... I'll attack Nosferatu Lich myself!" 

"Master Kyonshee! Block the attack! Defend!"

"Ha! Useless... Soul Crush Strike!" Manuel raised his arm, and he extracted Master Kyonshee's essence into the palm of his hand. He simply clutched his hand, and Master Kyonshee was destroyed.

"it's not over yet... I release the essence of Master Kyonshee to attack Nosferatu Lich!" He extended his hand and fired a stream of purple energy at Manny's Lich, destroying it.

****

-450

Manny: 1375

"Had you made use of your ability to defend attacks, you could have survived my attack..."

Manny had three cards left in his hand... But not enough lifepoints to summon any of the monsters... A direct attack would finish him off, causing him to fail the trial.

---

"This doesn't look good for Manny..." Nick said. Everyone else in the lounge area was unusually quiet.

"That demonstration Blackheart showed us was faulty! He didn't let us know of all the rules!" Jason was upset, seeing that his friend's impending doom was imminent.

"I think he did that on purpose... So that we were forced to learn on our feet." Laurna said.

"Still... He hadn't told us that an attack to our Commander, or us, wouldn't be blockable... It's as if we are our own lifepoints, and attacking the Deck Commander is a direct attack... We've seen Manny get hit many times, but also while he raised his cape in an attempt to defend." Ace said. "The demo shows Blackheart blocking an attack with his Commander... Manny couldn't do that at all. He meant for us to use other monsters to defend... but didn't inform us..."

"I suppose that's the disadvantage of going first... The people after you can learn from your mistakes..." Tony proclaimed.

"Well... Manny is gonna find a way to beat that Eliminator. I know he will. If he gets close enough, he can deliver some direct damage of his own to Manuel.

"I sure hope he can... It would be a shame to see him lose already. Even if we are competing with each other..." Laurna said as she floated around on her broomstick.

"We never expected Blackheart to play fair anyway... He controls this world, and can change the rules however he pleases... That is something we have to contend with if we're going to succeed."

"Inspiring words there Nick..." Ace laughed. "Yeah right..." He whispered to himself.

---

Time Remaining: 6:04

"I could just wait it out so the time limit expires Manny... but I won't. I'll toy with you before I finish you off! Summon Spirit Reaper!"

****

-150

Manuel: 6250

"Spirit Reaper, attack him with Soul Hunting Scythe!"

Manny could do nothing but take the attack.

****

-300

Manny: 1075

"Now, you must discard a card from your hand... Which Spirit Reaper shall choose randomly."

Manny stared down the Reaper as it chose a card from his hand to discard. Finally, the Reaper made a decision.

Manny smiled. "You made a big mistake Figo... Your choice to toy with me is going to be your final mistake! Spirit Reaper chose the card Despair from Darkness! It is Special Summoned at the cost of no lifepoints!"

"What? No!!"

A huge shadow emerged from the ground.

"Despair from Darkness, attack Spirit Reaper!"

"I think not! Activate Call of the Haunted! Wall Shadow! Defend!"

"Damn!!'

Despair from Darkness tried to grasp Spirit Reaper, but was met with Wall Shadow, which was strong enough to defend against the attack.

****

-200

Manny: 0875

"HAHA! Thanks to the rules of this world, Despair from Darkness is destroyed... Now, Spirit Reaper and Wall Shadow, finish off his lifepoints!"

"Not so fast Figo... Since my Level 8 monster was destroyed, I play Bargain with a Demon! It will summon one of your own minions to be used against you!" He threw the magic card towards Manuel. Behind him the ground began shaking violently.

"Rise from the grave! Come and serve me, Berserk Dead Dragon!" A huge dragon formed of bones leapt over Manuel, landing in front of Manny. It let out a terrifying roar, which caused Manuel's monsters to back off.

"I'm afraid you lose Manuel. Return to the Darkness!"

"It's not possible... You use my rightful servant against me? How dare you!"

"Berserk Dead Dragon! Release your horrors that lie within!" He pointed forward. "Attack Manuel and all his monsters with Gruesome Plague Breath!!"

A sickening green mist came from the dragon's mouth. It incapacitated Manuel's monsters and nearly suffocated Manuel himself.

****

-6150

Manuel: 0100

****

+950

Manny: 1825

"I've wiped out your Wall Shadow and nearly all of your lifepoints. Your Spirit Reaper may not have been destroyed, but it is in no condition to attack. I'll deliver the final blow myself! I attack you with Meteor of Darkness!!!" He used Patrician of Darkness' power to form a meteor of energy, and threw it at Manuel, bringing his lifepoints to zero.

Manuel: 0000

"No... Gawwwrrrrghh!!!!" Manuel fell to the ground. The appearance of his Deck Commander disappeared. He was back to the small man in a crimson red suit.

"When you combine your Darkness with hate, you're the only one who loses Manuel."

Manuel's body disappeared in the same way monsters did. Exploding in a barrage of particles.

Time Remaining: 0:14

"Whew... Talk about no time left to spare..."

Everything in the area began to disappear. The scenery, the fog, his dragon... everything. A door appeared in front of him.

****

[Please enter.]

He did so, not bothering to look back. He felt more confident as he managed to get by the first trial. Manny grew stronger, but wondered if he would be able to enter the next round...

****

[Trial I Complete.]

[Result: Win ]

[Time Remaining: 0 Min 14 sec]

[LP: 1825]

[Current Status: 1st Place]


	17. Sanctuary of the Sky

Chapter Seventeen: Spire's Trials II: Sanctuary of the Sky

Manny had just completed his trial successfully. He was proud of himself. There was no way anyone could bring him down now, as he was at the highest point at which he's ever been. The door in the lounge slowly opened, and Manny emerged from it. The Patrician of Darkness' cape flowed behind him as he walked towards the others.

"Hey guys, so how'd you like my performance in that trial?" Manny asked as he flopped down into a chair.

"You did great Manny... I'm impressed you managed to pull through all those tough spots." Jason was beaming with pride. "I'm glad you've learned a lot. Everything I've taught you has come into play."

"Yeah... Everything just seemed to pull together. I can't believe I did it myself with my own hands. Well, the virtual version of them... Or well, the Patrician of Darkness' powers helped too."

"Don't doubt yourself now, especially since you were the first one to do this. We're all proud of what you accomplished here today, Manny." Laurna patted him on the back.

"And your deck has undergone a lot of improvement. I'm very impressed. It would be a great match if we met in the Finals." Nick said.

"What makes you so sure you'll be in the Finals, Nick?" Ace taunted.

Everyone was quiet. That last comment from Ace seemed to raise the level of tension in the room. Even though they were all friends, they were still competing with each other. Nick looked a bit annoyed.

"Hey I was just kidding... You saved my ass back there against Manuel and Sumga. I don't doubt your skill as a Duelist...anymore." Ace snickered.

"Whatever Ace, just wait until my Lord of Dragons signals your demise with the Flute of Summoning Dragon..."

"Ah, I see the tension is rising among you all... I love it." Blackheart was standing there, with his table. The five remaining cards were facedown. Apparently, he had been listening to every word.

"Blackheart, I'd say it's a pleasure to see you again, but I'd be lying." Ace said.

"It's always nice to know that the youth of today is as impudent as it always has been. It's time to proceed to the next Trial. We'll decide once again by a random choice." Blackheart picked up the remaining cards and shuffled them around, then placed them back on the table. He picked one of them. "The card I've selected is..."

Everyone awaited the announcement. Their anticipation was clear, as the leaned forward expectantly.

"The card is... Berserk Gorilla. Will the owner of this card please step forward?"

"Heh, that would be me." Jason stepped up. He took the card as Blackheart handed it to him and inserted it back into his deck. "Looks like I'm next."

"Now to choose your area in which the trial will take place." The remaining cards which represented each area appeared in his hands.

Nick's gaze met Blackheart's. Jeff paid no attention to it. Nick was making sure that nothing was going on and that this was a fair game this time. Jeff merely thought that Nick was a simple little bug that would soon be crushed.

"Choose one." Blackheart said, as he noticed Nick keeping his eyes on him. He held out the cards.

"Okay... this one." Jason chose the card second from the right. He took a peek at it. "The Holy Sanctuary... Sounds interesting."

"The Holy Sanctuary was designed by my loyal employee, Sumga Hong... I bet you'll be pleased with the surprises he has created for whomever would come upon his trial. I'll be seeing you all later. Jason, enter through there." Blackheart pointed to the door as he vanished.

"All right then... I'll be going now." Jason ambled toward the door. He turned around and shot back at everyone with a confident grin, and entered.

---

Jeff Blackheart took off the helmet and stepped out of the virtual reality pod. He was immediately met by Hunter, who seemed frantic.

"Sir, we've detected a few hackers trying to break into the system through the virtual world. What should we do to stop them?"

"Well... How exactly are they doing this?"

"They disguised themselves as Non-Player Characters and monsters, and are planning to tear a hole in the network to reach our main database. If they had attempted to hack into the system through an external source, we would have detected them immediately, but they somehow slipped through our defenses. They're using an apparatus similar to ours, but if we stop them now, they won't be able to reach their bodies once we trap them here." Hunter said.

"I suppose I could go take care of them myself. They are invading my systems, and I should be responsible for making sure the threat is eliminated. Just give me their location and I'll see to it that they are completely disposed of."

"If you insist, sir. Re-enter the virtual world, and I'll relay the coordinates to you."

"Those hackers will find that they've made their final mistake, and they will pay for their actions..." Jeff smirked and slipped the helmet back onto his head. "Okay then Hunter, start it up again."

---

Jason stood inside the black room, waiting for his trial to begin. He looked around trying to see something through the darkness, but to no avail.

"I guess I should just be patient... I didn't get this far by being hasty." He ran his hand through his hair. "Good thing that choosing Kaiku as my Deck Commander didn't make me bald... I would look ridiculous..."

A small display flickered on in front of him, showing the progress of the system loading.

****

[Entering new area.]

[Loading Field: 13% complete.]

[Reloading Trial Data.]

Jason looked down as he mentally prepared himself for what was coming. He looked up again to see how far along the loading had gone.

****

[Loading Field: 91%.]

"Almost there..."

****

[Please enter.]

"Here goes nothing..." Jason said as he walked through the door. His eyes were greeted by a wondrous display of architecture and impressive sculptures. "This is amazing! It's like... It's like I'm in Ancient Greece or Rome or something!"

What Jason saw was a huge city... There were buildings of huge magnitude with pillars and arches that seemed to never end. Jason had never seen such a breathtaking sight. Everything was so bright... So... pure and untainted. There were a number of trail and roads on the ground that led all around the city. There were many statues of familiar figures of monsters and gods... Jason was speechless.

****

[Welcome to the Ancient City Area. You have 85 minutes to complete your task. The people of this city are being oppressed by a group of rogues. First, you must find the people within the city and evacuate them to the Shrine of Zeraht in the Southern edge of the city. Then you must defeat the group holding the city under their control before they destroy it and steal the treasures. Time will be deducted from your score if any of the people are harmed during the mission. Once the city is liberated, you must enter the Holy Sanctuary above the city. When you reach the Holy Sanctuary, you will receive further instructions. The time limit will be extended if you complete certain tasks successfully and in a brief manner. Your trial begins in 3...2...1.]

Jason snapped out of the trance he fell into while staring at the city. "Time to get busy..."

---

Meanwhile...

Blackheart was on his way to deal with the hackers that were invading his system. He had re-entered the virtual world and arrived in the Admin Area. It was basically a room designed to look exactly like Jeff Blackheart's office in the real world.

"Okay, I'm in. I'll enter the Main Network Area, and you send me the location of the hackers." Blackheart was communicating with Hunter. "It's time to get started, and deal with the problem... Vampire Lord, MERGE INTO MY SOUL!"

With those words, Blackheart had once again become the Vampire Lord. He exited his virtual office and entered an area which was basically composed of a grid of green lines. There were parts of the walls where the lines met to form a door, and over each door, there was an sign marking the entrance to various areas of the virtual world. This was the Main Network Area, a place where Blackheart could maintain the integrity of his virtual world. This one area lead to every area, so that Blackheart could manage any problems that would arise.

"Okay sir, the hackers were last detected within the Ancient City Area. There are four of them; One is disguised as Maha Vailo, another as Wandering Hero Freed, the next as Dimensional Warrior, and one is left unidentified. I'll let you know when I find out what the last one is disguised as. And just to make things clear, those monsters are not part of Sumga's trial. I checked, and he didn't include them."

"Okay then, but if I interfere in the current trial, I'm sure it won't matter. That kid Jason can do the trial again for all I care... I just want to get rid of these hackers. Enough things are pestering me already."

Blackheart entered the door marked, "Ancient City."

---

Jason had wandered around the city for a few minutes and found nothing. Everything was too quiet. It didn't seem that this place was under siege at all.

Current Status:

Jason Langdon

Deck Commander: Kaiku: Turner of the Dead

Current Lifepoints: 8000

Time Remaining: 81:48

Rescues: 0/16

Jason heard footsteps. "Who's there!?" He called. Someone peered out from behind the corner. It was a woman dressed in a tattered robe.

"Oh... Don't worry ma'am, I'm here to help. I'll take you to the Shrine of Zeraht." The woman reluctantly walked to him and nodded. "Do you know where anyone else is?"

"The people of this city are running around. It's hard to tell. We've been oppressed far too long. If you are our savior, I will help you find them. Perhaps you can help them unite and form a resistance, so we can stage a revolution against them!"

Jason was intrigued. This concept seems a bit familiar to him, but he wasn't sure where he heard it before. "Okay, well stay close so you don't get hurt.

Jason kept this woman under close watch, as if she was hurt, there would be a time penalty.

"Hey! Over there! A couple of the monsters from the group of rogues... Shining Abyss and Asura Priest... They're dragging a net behind them with some refugees inside! Help them!"

"I guess it's time... Summon! Mechanical Chaser and Gemini Elf!"

****

-1875

Jason: 6125

"Gemini Elf, attack the Shining Abyss with Gemini Radiation!"

The two elves simultaneously fired a wave of energy toward Shining Abyss, destroying it before it had time to react.

****

+800

Jason: 6925

Jason drew a card. "Mechanical Chaser, go for a sneak attack! Tunnel underground!"

Asura Priest turned around to see where the disturbance came from. Jason met its gaze with his own. 

Asura Priest was indignant."You move one step closer, and all these people die." A sword materialized in each of his hands, and he threw the net in front of him. "I _will_ do it... Now stay back!"

He continued to stare down Asura Priest. 'Mech Chaser, NOW!!"

"What!?" Asura Priest looked around for Jason's Mechanical Chaser. "That's it, these people are DEAD!"

Asura raised its arms an prepared to strike with all of is swords, but was met by Mechanical Chaser and all of its sharp blades.

"Looks like you're not the sharpest blade in the bunch. Good job there guys..."

****

+850

Jason: 7775

Jason looked at the card he just drew... "Hmm, not bad... I'll save this for later."

There were five people stuck in the net, and Jason abruptly freed them.

"Thank you kind sir," another woman in tattered rags said. "We appreciate you taking us to the Shrine of Zeraht... It isn't too far off."

"Sure thing... We'll be there in no time..."

---

Blackheart arrived in the Ancient City Area through a door hidden within an invisible wall, which marked the boundaries of the area. He took a brief glance at the area to check for any oddities.

"Nothing immediately strikes me as being tampered with here... Just tell me the location of the nearest one of the hackers and I'll go deal with them." He spoke to Hunter.

"They're hiding out in the Shrine of Shinato on the eastern end of the city. All of them are there... Although I can also see that there is a cluster of people in that spot. The current trial, which Jason is taking part in, is in progress, and there seems to be something going on over in the same place where the hackers are. You may want to check for yourself, I can't listen in on the interactions occurring in this virtual world without being there myself."

"All right then. Tell me if anything else comes up." Blackheart disappeared into the shadows of the huge buildings and headed towards Jason's location.

Jason had met up with several monsters who offered to help him. They had been watching over the people who were seeking refuge inside the Shrine of Shinato.

Current Status:

Jason Langdon

Deck Commander: Kaiku: Turner of the Dead

Current Lifepoints: 7775

Time Remaining: 70:14

Rescues: 9/16

Jason had successfully brought most of the people he had found to the Shrine of Zeraht, where they were safe. The people he rescued told him to check the other shrines within the city walls. As he approached the Shrine of Shinato, he was met by three monsters, Maha Vailo, Wandering Hero Freed, and Dimensional Warrior.

"So, you think you guys can help me out? The people tell me there are seven people still hiding out in the city." Jason said. His Gemini Elf and Mechanical Chaser were standing behind him. "I only want to help these people get to safety, and I would appreciate it if you would tell me if you know where anyone is..."

Maha Vailo stepped forward and spoke, "Perhaps you would prefer not to be tangled up in this web of destruction and deceit. Maybe you'd like to help _our_cause, instead of playing these silly games."

Jason was baffled. "What exactly is that cause?"

Dimensional Warrior spoke this time, "We are trying to reach Blackheart's main database through this part of the network. We've been undetected so far, and we've heard that you're quite a skilled computer hacker, Jason Langdon."

"What? How did you know my name?" Jason stepped backwards.

"Don't be alarmed." Freed extended his hand to Jason. "We want to find a way to stop Blackheart, and you can help us."

"If I can trust you guys... I'll help you, but you have to help me first. I want to get through this trial, but I'm quite interested in you guys... Like, how the hell did you get in here?"

"All will be answered in appropriate time." said Maha Vailo. "We can help you complete this trial, we can tell you where the location of the rest of the people, but we ask just this..."

"What?" Jason was ecstatic at the opportunity of inflicting his own brand of justice upon Blackheart.

"Do you realize that the machine your real body is within at this moment, if shut off, could leave you trapped here forever? The human psyche can only take so much until the casing that protects the soul is shattered. As this technology is not meant for this world... Neither is Blackheart." Maha Vailo crossed his arms.

Jason was confused. "I don't understand..."

"You will." Freed said. "Now, if you'll help us, we'll take you to meet our leader, who has been watching over a few of the townspeople."

"Well, then I see no reason to refuse. Take me in."

"Allright then, Maha, open up the gates again." Freed said.

"At your command, sir." Maha Vailo took out a small key and opened up the gate which led to the main shrine.

---

"What is Jason doing?!" Manny was panicking. "Agreeing to mess with Blackheart is pretty much suicide!!!"

Laurna, Tony, Ace, and Nick all stared at Manny.

"What? Is there something on my face?"

Nick looked at him coldly. "How can you say that?! We're all here fine, and we've handled him and his eliminators more times than you can count. Jason thinks he is doing the right thing, and I do too. If this helps us, we may not have to go through all the trouble Blackheart is putting us through."

Manny sat back down and breathed out heavily.

"Besides... There's gotta be some sort of media coverage that all of us are in the Spire, and if any of us turn up missing, the federal authorities will be around... Rather than just the local corrupt Blackheart employees." Laurna said.

"Although... we don't know that for sure... We can hope." Ace stared at his sword. His Deck Commander, Marauding Captain, had outfitted him with a pair of swords. He continued examining them. "Shouldn't you have more faith in your friend there Manny? Well, I don't know you, so maybe I shouldn't talk." Ace looked at the reflection in the blade.

"You're right, but I dunno... All this seems like a lot to handle. I barely got through my trial, and it doesn't look too great for Jason if he goes head-on to try and screw over Blackheart."

"Hey guys... I've figured it out." Tony said.

"Figured what out?" They asked.

"Well, the number of times we've had run-ins with Blackheart and his goons... It's about ten or so. That was all in the last three months."

"Uhhh... Okay... How do you figure?" Laurna asked.

"I read your diary... And also about those dreams you've been having about me."

"Hey!!! That's not true at all!! Perverted bastard!" Laurna was upset, even though she knew that was Tony's sense of humor. 

Ace was laughing at the sight of Laurna getting so flustered over a little joke.

"Ace, why are you just standing there laughing?!" She got off her broomstick and walked towards him. "Go defend my honor!!!!" Laurna threw Ace on top of the broomstick and used her powers as Mystical Sand to force the broomstick towards Tony, as Ace hung on for dear life.

The broomstick carrying Ace collided with Tony, and both of them hit the wall hard.

"Ouch... Hey Ace...get off of me already!!!" Tony said.

"Ha! I thought I'd never see the day when Tony, the self-proclaimed womanizer, would have another guy on top of him... Heh..." Nick laughed.

"Geez, Nick, keep your fantasies out of this..." Ace said as he got up and brushed himself off.

Tony was still on the floor, dizzied by the attack. He looked up to see a big **-1100**above his head.

"What...? I thought we don't have a lifepoint value in this room?" He said as he re-oriented himself.

"We don't... Maybe you just made her _that _mad." Ace held back his usual snickering.

The broomstick returned to Laurna's hands. She shrugged as she was impressed by her own display of her abilities.

"I hate to interrupt, but the monitor has gone black... There's like no reception on this thing!" Manny yelled.

---

Maha Vailo led Jason into the basement of the shrine, while Dimensional Warrior and Freed stood guard. They reached the bottom of the staircase, where there was a simple desk and a chair. Jason couldn't see who was sitting there, as it was facing the wall. An arm motioned for Maha Vailo to bring Jason around the front of the desk.

"Jason, this is our leader. She's taken the form of Hysteric Fairy." Maha Vailo said.

"Why hello there..." Jason extended his hand.

"Hmph." She didn't shake his hand. "How do I know I can trust you Jason? It took us a long time to get in here, and we don't need some half wit screwing us up." She pushed up her glasses.

"Well, your guys have heard of me... So that counts for some credibility doesn't it? And I _am _ here in this trial, which means I can't possibly be working with Blackheart."

"You bring up a good point. I suppose you're trustworthy enough..." She got up. She extended her own hand to Jason. "My name's Desta. I've been working to stop Blackheart for several years... We figured he'd be distracted now more than ever."

"Nice to meet you Desta." He shook her hand. "Now that the formalities are through and over with, how can I help you?"

"Maha, get the others. Then I'll explain our plan."

Maha Vailo rushed back up the stairs, then returned with Dimensional Warrior and Wandering Hero Freed.

"Okay all of you, listen carefully if you want to come out of this alive. We'll be tearing a hole into the boundaries of this area so that we can reach the Main Network Area. From there we will attempt to reach the Administrative Area and take as much information from there as we can undetected. Once we're finished there, you will all escape as I inject the virus data into the system. We'll meet up at the exit point. Jason will then return to his trial, ready to complete the next part."

"We've altered the surveillance so that it appears that you're still doing your trial Jason, and when you return, the transition will be seamless. So don't worry about your involvement. We just need as much help as we can get." Dimensional Warrior nodded.

"As soon as you're all ready, we can begin." Desta said.

They all nodded.

"Well then, Dimensional Warrior, do your thing."

"Yes ma'am!" He drew his swords and walked to the center of the room. "Everyone stand back, this could get a bit dangerous. ACTIVATE! Different Dimension Gate!!" He thrust his swords into the ground, and it began swirling in various colors and designs. A portal had formed out of it.

"Is it safe to go in there?" Jason asked.

Dimensional Warrior turned around. "Don't worry about it, I know what I'm doing." He leaned back and dropped into the portal.

"Let's go!" Desta dived in head first.

"This should prove to be interesting..." Maha Vailo jumped in.

"For great justice..." Freed stepped in.

"Hey, no one gets to hear the cool thing that I was gonna say..." Jason just jumped in.

The next thing Jason saw was a mass of swirling colors, similar to the one he saw when entering the virtual world. He couldn't tell which direction was which, but felt as if he was falling. He looked and saw the others a short distance away.

"Hey guys!!! How long is this gonna take? I think I might get sick if this lasts any longer!!" He called to them.

"Here..." Desta used her wings to glide towards Jason. She grabbed Jason's arms. "This should slow down that falling sensation." Her wings kept them descending at a slower pace, and Jason didn't feel so sick. "The traveling time should take a few minutes since we aren't taking a direct route to the Main Network Area. This helps us stay undetected."

Jason couldn't respond to what she was saying. He felt sick. "Ugghhnn... My head...is swirling just like these colors..."

"Oh, I guess you must not be used to this... We'll be there soon, just close your eyes."

"Okay... but I was... wondering... How am I going.... to be... any help to you?"

"Apparently the entrance to the Database Area from the Admin has a lock that requires representation from four authorized users. If any of the four authorized users stop their data input to the control center, anything in the area is immediately terminated within thirty seconds. We needed another person to help us."

"But....why me?"

"We're aware that you're versed in using various equipment that no one else would. That's why we waited until your trial, and chose these monsters to blend in with the landscape."

Jason tried to smile, but he was too disoriented. His technological abilities had finally got him somewhere that might matter.

"Well, it looks like we're here, hold on." Desta said.

Jason grabbed onto her tightly.

"Hey, you might want to those hands of yours down a bit... Hysteric Fairy doesn't play that way... Especially since we just met." She laughed. "Now when we get out of here, we'll end up in the Main Network Area, but there will be some impact. As you probably know by now, your thoughts and actions are transferred into the virtual world, so that whatever happens here, you'll be able to feel as if it were real... Just like how you're getting sick here. Don't be surprised if you feel a little sore when we get there..."

Suddenly, there was a huge flash of light...

---

"Hunter, I'm at the coordinates you gave me, but no one is here at all. There are just people who are useless NPCs."

"I apologize sir, I've lost their coordinates. I'll comb the network until I find them."

"You'd better. Or else." Blackheart's voice was very assertive. He turned his communicator off. "Damn it... How could this happen...?"

He was overcome by rage. He screamed out in anger. "GRAAAAHHRR!!! No one does this to me... I am Jeff Blackheart! I answer only to the Dark Lord of Chaos and Destruction, Mephisto!"

He attacked the innocent people who hid inside the Shrine of Shinato. There was a time deduction from Jason's trial, but he wasn't present at all.

Blackheart checked the status screen.

Jason Langdon

Time Remaining: 49:36

Rescues: 9/16

Deaths: 7/16

"Hmm, looks like I've made an even tougher challenge for the fool. No matter... The fear in those peoples eyes... As I, Vampire Lord, struck them down... That quenches my thirst as I feed off the fear and despair that comes from suffering... It darkens my soul... The fact that the people whose souls I've taken are the ones controlling these characters makes it even better... Their souls will serve as an excellent sacrifice to my Lord..."

"Sir, somehow they've gotten into the Main Network Area! They're attempting to reach the Administrative and Database Area. And they have another person with them... Kaiku, Turner of the Dead, AKA Jason Langdon."

"So, he's with them? Perhaps he needs to be taught a lesson. If these people are friends of his, they'll suffer... Jason will agonize as he watches them scream."

"I'll transport you immediately to the Main Network Area."

"This... this will be amusing!! HAhahahAhhAhHAhahaAA!!!!

---

"Okay Jason, we'd like to see what you can do. Try and open up the lock to the Main Network Area Section B. It should be pretty simple." said Desta.

"All right then..." He approached the door. He looked into the console and saw that a code needed to be entered. "It'd help if you gave me something I can use to interface with this thing..." He laughed dryly.

"Oh sure... Here" Dimensional Warrior handed him a handheld computer. "Don't worry, even though we're in the virtual world, it'll work the same way as in the real world. 

"Okay.... Let's see..." He plugged some cords into the console. "Ah-ha! I've unlocked it! Now we can go through."

Desta looked on. "Good job there. You got it almost as fast as I would have."

"Looks like you've got some competition, eh Desta?" Freed said.

Jason pressed the button to open the door. It rose slowly... as if something was keeping it from opening. Mist spilled into the room from the doorway....

There was a vague figure standing there. They couldn't see who it was... The mist obstructed their vision. The door continued to open.

"Who's there!?" Jason called out.

"I'll give you one guess." the figure said.

Without warning, Jason saw a fist come out of the fog and he was struck down. When Jason recovered, standing above him was Vampire Lord... Jeff Blackheart.

****

-2000

Jason: 5775

"And now, thanks to Vampire Lord's effect, I can take one card from your deck... I'll take a trap card!"

Jason jumped up to his feet and stoodguard with Maha Vailo, Wandering Hero Freed, Dimensional Warrior, and Hysteric Fairy. However, a card from his deck floated over to Blackheart's hand.

"Hmm... This is a fine card I've taken from you. I'll set it on the ground." He dropped the card on the floor and it disappeared. "Now, what made you think you could get away with what you're all doing?"

"I'd ask you the same thing." Desta said.

"Useless... Just like you Jason. I opened that door for you. You didn't unlock the mechanism." He shook his head. "I think it's also about time to deal with these hackers... Don't you think so Jason? Or are they friends of yours?"

"Leave him out of this... We made him come with us." Dimensional Warrior said.

"Hm, well I've heard enough. Come with me into the place where light cannot escape... Where the most cruel of evils seem like nothing compared to what you'll experience! Watch as I bring all of you into the **Negative Zone!**" Blackheart threw up his arms.

Everything went black. Nothing could be seen but the red glow of Blackheart's eyes, who stood in front of them. A deeper red glow emanated from the center of the room. They could finally see again. The walls around them were covered in strange markings and characters. Everything was dark... The glow came from a symbol painted in the center of the floor.

"Where did Blackheart go? I can't see him anymore..." Jason said.

"I'm right here..." His voice was ominous as it echoed through the area. His head poked through the ceiling. He jumped out of the ceiling and landed on the ground, in the center of the glowing symbol. "Welcome to the Negative Zone everyone... I hope you enjoy your short stay.... as this will be the place of your demise!"

"If it's a fight you're looking for, we'll give you one!" Desta called out.

"Let's do this!!" Dimensional Warrior drew his swords and rushed Blackheart.

"No!!! Wait!!" Desta screamed.

"Ha! It's too late! You triggered the trap I took from Jason! Ring of Destruction!"

The grenade laced ring shot from the floor and affixed itself to Dimensional Warrior's neck...

"Sorry guys...I made a mistake..." Dimensional Warrior said. The grenades exploded.

"Oh God..." Freed said to himself.

The smoke cleared, and Dimensional Warrior's lifeless body lay there.

"You see, when you're here in the Negative Zone, things work differently..." Jeff laughed as he looked at the lifeless body. "For one thing, I've noticed that the four of you hackers have gone much deeper into the virtual world than you should have. Since you couldn't break into my system using conventional means, you've used your very souls to penetrate my magical barrier... A highly risky move, and it looks like it will cost your friend here his life. When you experience physical damage here, and your soul is encased in your Deck Commander, you'll feel and experience that same damage in the real world. Your friend must be in excruciating pain right now."

"You heartless son of a...!" Desta said.

"Now now, no need for profanity... Give up your souls willingly, and I'll spare you, my pretty little Fairy... Or should I say... Desta?"

"You knew my name...? How?"

"The imprint of your soul... I can read it like an open book. And I believe we met before." He walked towards Dimensional Warrior. "It looks as if his physical body in useless in the real world... So I'll be taking his soul."

"No! Begone Demon!" Maha Vailo was furious. "Activate! Mage Power! United We Stand! Axe of Despair! Another Axe of Despair! And now, taste my suffering Blackheart!" Twin axes in hands, he rushed toward Blackheart with fire in his eyes. "Your evil ends here!"

Blackheart raised his cape to shield himself from the attack. Maha Vailo was relentless in his striking, but his axes would not damage Blackheart.

"Heh, guess what?" He peeked out from behind his cape.

Maha Vailo hesitated. "What?"

Blackheart lowered his cape. Behind it was a purple cylinder. Magic Cylinder. Maha looked at it...And closed his eyes.

"...." Maha Vailo lowered his weapons. He was defeated.

The Magic Cylinder fired back an immense stream of energy. As it struck Maha Vailo's midsection, his body went limp. The energy stream penetrated his whole body before dissipating. Desta, Freed, and Jason could all see the gaping hole as Maha fell to the ground.

"You are all so foolish... You try to face me in my own Network, in my own System, in my own WORLD?! Anyone else wish to die in vain so that your souls can be together when my master devours them all?"

"I'd rather fall defending the memories of my friends than be a coward. Show me all you've got Blackheart!" Freed said.

"....." Desta didn't say anything.

Wandering Hero Freed rushed Blackheart, but he just stood there, smiling.

As Freed ran past Maha's body, he reflected on his own fate... That would soon be him.

"Blackheeeart!!! You'll pay for your evils!"

"Jason..." Desta said quietly. "You're the only one with a Duel Disk. Please! Do something to help us! Jason! Can you hear me!?!?"

Jason stood there, mesmerized... "I'm sorry... I'm terrified..."

"What are you waiting for Blackheart? I want a fight!" Freed stared into Blackheart's red glowing eyes.

"There's nothing... I can do..." Jason muttered.

Blackheart kicked Freed down. Freed prepared for him to strike, but instead, Blackheart just stood there, pointing at the ceiling.

"What...?" Freed looked up.

"I hope you and my Needle Ceiling enjoy getting acquainted."

The section of ceiling above Freed slammed down HARD. They could hear the spikes pierce flesh.

"Why, the only one left is Desta... And of course there's Jason too, but he'll be returning to his trial..."

Desta moved forward. She decided to face her fate courageously.

"Come closer...!!" Blackheart opened up hs cape, and a barrage of chains flew towards Desta. "Shadow Spell! Drag her in!"

The chains pulled Desta into close quarters with Blackheart.

"I'm sorry, I didn't want to end you this way..." As the chains held her up, Blackheart caressed her face. "But it was necessary.." He placed his lips on hers and kissed her... Desta struggled to free herself, but the chains held her too tightly. Then, Jeff bit into her neck, and began draining her of life.

"Desta..." Jason couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"Jason... You're still here... Away with you!" Jeff pointed his finger at Jason, ejecting him from the area. Jason fell unconscious from the force.

He released the chains and Desta's limp body fell to the floor. He could hear faint moans coming from her. She was bleeding profusely from her neck.

"Such a cruel fate has befallen you... Had you joined me, you wouldn't be in such a position..." He picked her up and forced her on her feet. "And as for the time we met before... You may remember me if you think back... Think back ten years ago..." She couldn't stand up, so he held her in his arms.

"You never wanted to be in my embrace before Desta... Now you have no choice." He held her in his arms. "Under different circumstances, this would've been a dream of mine... Me holding you in my arms... But it was your choice to reject me."

Desta was silent.

Blackheart kissed her again, but this time passionately, rather than coldly. His hands flowed over her as he groped her seemingly lifeless body. She couldn't stand anymore, so she collapsed. Blackheart gently placed her on the floor.

Desta gathered all her strength, turning her head to Blackheart. "Jeff... This is the only way you would've gotten this far with me..."

"You always had to have the last word, didn't you?" Desta had struck a nerve. He picked her up again and bit into the other side of her neck. He drained whatever life she had left inside her.

__

"Edward, Joseph... Curtis... Sorry for dragging you all into this..." Desta thought. Her held fell back as her life faded away.

He was through messing around. Jeff extended his arm and drew out the souls of from the dead bodies on the floor. The blue lights flew around before Jeff absorbed them.

"I left your friends bloody messes. I wouldn't want anyone to see your beautiful body mutilated... Nor would I want you to experience a painful death. Your lifeless body in the real world must be beautiful... Your skin so pale from loss of blood..." He caressed her face once again. He began walking away. "There was a time when I once loved you Desta..."

A single tear ran down Blackheart's face. He quickly brushed it away.

"Jeff Blackheart, logging out." And then he was gone.

The four bodies disappeared from the Negative Zone. Everything was black once again.

---

Current Status:

Jason Langdon

Deck Commander: Kaiku: Turner of the Dead

Current Lifepoints: 5775

Time Remaining: 26:21

Rescues: 9/16

Deaths: 7/16

Jason laid on the ground motionless. He slowly re-oriented himself and picked himself up.

"That was all my fault... That evil, heartless man. He must be stopped."

Jason woke up in front of the Shrine of Zeraht. He entered to find that all the people he rescued were forming a plan."

"Ah! Kaiku is here!" Their leader said. "We have decided to form a resistance so that we may start a revolution! This should push out the rogues who hold our city captive!"

"Good. What can I do?"

"Go to the Holy Sanctuary Area. You can get there by standing in that pillar of light over there." The man pointed at the altar, where light poured in from a stained glass window. The window had an image of Archangel Zeraht.

"What do I do there?"

"Find Archangel Zeraht and ask him for his protection over our city. By then our revolution should push the rogues out. Now go."

Jason did as he said and stepped into the light. He was instantly transported to the Holy Sanctuary.

"This place is almost as breath-taking as the city!"

"Mortal, do you seek something?" An angel dressed in blue asked.

"Oh me? Please, take me to Archangel Zeraht! I need to speak to him!"

"State your business."

"A city below is under siege! They NEED protection and aide!"

"Ah, I see. I am the Angel of Judgment, Saturn. Come with me." He extended his hand. Jason took it in his. "Hold on!"

Saturn flew quickly towards a small tower, and up to the top. There stood an intimidating looking angel.

"Zeraht, this is a man from the town below. He says that they are under siege and need our protection. What do you think of this matter?"

"It is a very noble cause that you've come here to serve." Archangel Zeraht said. "What is your name?"

"My name is Jason. I've taken the form of Kaiku."

"I've looked into your eyes, I can see that you're truthful. The city below does need my help... You were brave to come up here, as not all can reach here so easily through the pillar of light in the Shrine. Your heart is pure. I will protect this city as you have asked." He drew his sword and flew into the air.

Archangel Zeraht thrust his sword into the air and called out, "SWORDS OF REVEALING LIGHT! PROTECT THIS CITY FOR 300 YEARS! NO DARKNESS OR EVIL SHALL BEFALL THIS CITY!" Swords rained down and fell towards the city. "SEALING WALL OF LIGHT! I CAST YOU AS WELL OVER THIS CITY! PROTECT THOSE WHO CANNOT DEFEND THEMSELVES!" A huge wall of light surrounded the city and became invisible. 

Zeraht flew back to his post. "It is done."

"Thank you, you have my deepest gratitude."

"Evil only succeeds when good men do nothing. Let those words sink in." Zeraht said.

Saturn then carried Jason back to the point at which he entered.

"Stand in the center of this altar, and you will reach the Shrine of Zeraht."

Jason stepped into the center, and was instantly back inside the main Shrine of Zeraht.

Jason looked around and saw that everything was in ruins. "I'm too late..."

Current Status:

Jason Langdon

Deck Commander: Kaiku: Turner of the Dead

Current Lifepoints: 5775

Time Remaining: 13:08

Deaths: 16/16

In big red letters in front of him, a message displayed:

****

[HUGE REVOLUTION: FAILED]

"Damn! Then what is Archangel Zeraht protecting?"

"Maybe you need protection." A voice came from the doorway.

"It's you... Sumga..."

"I am Paladin of White Dragon. The people cannot defend my attack. It is too easy to finish them. Now I destroy you!"

"No, if I beat you, I'll at least complete this trial! Go Berserk Gorilla!"

****

-1000

Jason: 4775

A huge gorilla appeared and it beat its chest loudly.

"Your effort is useless. Summon Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"

****

-1500

Sumga: 6500

"I don't think so, I'll activate Enemy Controller! I'll sacrifice my Berserk Gorilla to take control of your Blue-Eyes ATTACK SUMGA! WHITE LIGHTNING!"

"Come, White Dragon, escape!" A smaller dragon flew Sumga out of harm's range. A huge side of the Shrine was blown off by the dragon's attack.

"Summon Dragon Princess!"

****

-0

Sumga: 6500

"Change Blue-Eyes to defense position!"

An aura covered the Blue-Eyes under Jasons control and it raised its wings to defend.

"Summon two new Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"

****

-3000

Sumga: 3500

Two huge, majestic dragons appeared in front of him.

"Ha, you've left your Dragon Princess unprotected and it has 0 attack! If I attack it with something strong enough, I'll defeat you!" He eyed the Riryoku card in his hand. "I'll summon Mechanical Chaser!"

****

-925

Jason: 3850

"Now I use this! Riryoku! I'll take half the attack power of one of your Blue-Eyes White Dragons and add it to Mech Chaser, bringing it up to 3350 ATK! Now I'll use Limiter Removal! It now has 6700 ATK!"

"Too bad. I use Earth Crusher now. Mech Chaser destroyed!"

"No!! That destroys the monster with the highest attack strength!"

"Now, I use Creature Swap. You take Dragon Princess, I take Blue-Eyes. Blue-Eyes, attack Dragon Princess now! Burst Stream attack!!!!"

The dragon completely obliterated the tattooed young woman.

****

-3000

Jason: 0850

"Ugh... there's nothing else I can do... The monsters in my hand have too high of an attack strength to summon them... I've lost..."

"My Blue-Eyes White Dragon have defeat you! Attack Jason direct!!! Burst Stream attack!!"

The streams of lightning struck Jason with great impact.

"This pain is nothing compared to what they felt... I've failed..."

****

-6000

Jason: 0000

He looked up at Sumga, the Paladin of White Dragon. Sumga flashed two V-signs at him with his hands, then threw his head back.

Everything went dark for him as the world around him changed. He was in the loading area again.

"..." Jason was speechless.

****

[Trial II Complete.]

[Result: Lose ]

[Time Remaining: --]

[LP: 0000]

[Current Status: Last Place]


	18. Power of Nature

Chapter Eighteen: Power of Nature

Jason emerged from the huge steel door. He looked down at the floor as he walked towards the others.

"Jason..." said Laurna, "you did your best... Don't be disappointed. At least you made it this far... Plus, you're not definitely out of the game yet, since someone could place after you... Come on, cheer up!"

Jason tried to look up at her but immediately returned his eyes to the floor.

"...the was nothing I could do..." he said. He was very melancholy. Slowly, he just walked towards a chair and slumped down in it.

"Jason..." Laurna was about to go to him again.

"Laurna," Ace stopped her. "Let him handle his loss how he wants. Give him a little time."

"Hey man, what happened?" Tony was already questioning Jason. "It looked like you was doing so well... Then, BAM! Whipped by a Blue-Eyes... What a way to go..."

"Damn Tony, you sure know how to be sensitive... Don't worry about it Jason. You tried your best."

"...if you only knew..." Jason kept his eyes down. The others had no idea that the screen had been displaying altered data while Jason was off with the hackers.

Everyone had taken a seat. They waited for Blackheart to come back to decide the next participant. No one had said anything for a few minutes...

"Say Jason... I got a question... How come you don't use your Deck Commander ability in the trial, man? Would've saved you some lifepoints..."

Jason's eyes went wide. After a few moments, he put his head in his hands and leaned forward with his elbows on his thighs. He had just remembered, then wished he had chosen a different monster to be his Deck Commander.

Cloudy mist filled the room, and then Blackheart appeared once again.

"It looks like Jason suffered a crushing defeat... But defeat is necessary to learn ones weaknesses." He shot a dead glare at Jason, who had looked up for just a moment. He hadn't forgotten about his involvement. "You may stay here, however, you may leave at your own leisure."

Blackheart pointed behind them, where an exit door had appeared.

"You can stay if you wish to support your friends through this time. Feel free to leave whenever you want Jason."

Jason sensed that it may be a trap. There must have been someone or something waiting for him once he left the Virtual World.

"That's good to know, but I'll just stay here for now."

"Okay. Then the exit will disappear unless you decide to leave. And now, the moment of reckoning has come for one of you..." A wicked smile spread over his face. It was insanely scary, since he was Vampire Lord... "Now who will it be?"

The table re-appeared, and Jeff placed the four remaining cards facedown.

"Now to choose..." He picked one up blindly. "Ah, perhaps this will be amusing... The card is Sword Hunter. Ace, I assume this one is yours?"

"That's right, Blackheart. It's mine. So let me pick the area I'm going to." Ace stepped up without fear.

"Quite the eager one, aren't we? Here, make your decision." Jeff placed the Area Selection cards down.

Ace examined the backs of the cards for any differences. After seeing nothing distinguishable, he just picked the first one on the right.

"Looks like I'm going to the Forest Area." said Ace.

"You can probably guess who designed that area... Dianah Vanderlaan. And my guess is that she isn't happy after a certain pet of hers exploded... By fault of none other than you, Ace."

"She claims to love nature, yet she creates a monster like that. It's amazing how hypocritical some people are these days." Laurna said.

"Well Laurna, my dear, I'm sure you can discuss that with your friends while Ace is off in his trial... You can also tell them about the night you spent with Ace... Or what you did while you two were alone in the library... Remember that while you're in my world, your minds are all open books to me. Don't try to cross me, or you'll know the true meaning of my family name."

Jeff disappeared in the cloudy mist that filled the room.

Nick, Tony, and Jason all were staring at Laurna. Manny was asleep in his chair from exhaustion.

"So... night with Ace, huh?" Tony asked.

"Well...Laurna... I'm glad you found someone..." Nick looked pretty serious.

"Although it was pretty obvious you both had a thing for each other." said Jason. "Right Ace?"

They all turned around, but Ace was already gone. Laurna's eyes were shifting about.

"Uh, well..." Laurna was blushing heavily.

---

"Whew, that was a close one..." Ace said as he stepped out of the Loading Area. "That would've been REALLY awkward..."

Ace checked his surroundings. He was within a small clearing with several tree stumps. Ahead were several paths which lead into the forest. All he could see were trees. The paths seems to just lead into more trees. The forest was extremely thick, and Ace was unsure how he would be able to find his way around, even with the paths.

"Okay... So...hello? What do I do?"

Ace had left so quickly that the whole area hadn't loaded yet. He watched as the distant trees which seemed to be the forest's edge expanded and moved further.

"Aw, damn it... Looks like I'll have even more room to get lost.

****

[Welcome to the Sacred Forest Area. You have 50 minutes to complete your task. Aid King Tiger Wanghu defend the forest from the invaders. They plan to cut down the forest so that they may use the wood for fuel and to claim the area as their own. Consult King Tiger Wanghu for details.]

"Okay... King Tiger Wanghu... Where are you? We got some work to do now..."

He walked towards the center path, looking around for any sign of King Tiger Wanghu. The trees held many animals and insects, and suddenly Ace noticed in one of the trees there was a squirrel... A Nimble Momonga.

"Hey there little friend... Wanna come down and tell me where Wanghu is?" Ace had always had a thing for squirrels. He wasn't sure why, he just did.

He caught the squirrel's attention. It looked right at him.

"Come on, I need a little help here..." Ace said. "Wait... Why am I talking to a squirrel?" He was about to turn around to go wander around more, when the Momonga jumped down in front of him.

"Oh, so you'll help me?"

The Nimble Momonga nodded, then ran off.

"I guess I'll follow you then." he ran after the little guy.

Ace followed the Momonga as closely as he could. It hopped from the ground to the trees and back again, but generally followed the paths drawn out through the forest. Ace noticed the other animals were running in the opposite direction. Suddenly, the Momonga came to a screeching halt.

"Huh? What's wrong?" he said.

The Momonga jumped in front of him and pointed to a small clearing that was ahead. Ace rushed in that direction.

"Look at me... Following directions from a squirrel..." He smiled. "Just like I've always wanted. Ha ha..."

He dashed quickly into the clearing, where he saw a Rabid Horseman had cornered an innocent Dark Zebra.

"Hey don't worry, I'll help you! Summon Gearfried the Iron Knight!"

****

-900

Ace: 7100

"Activate Deck Commander ability! Summon Dark Blade!"

Two warriors in black armor materialized in front of Ace.

"Activate Fusion Sword Murasame! Increase Gearfried's attack power!"

The Rabid Horseman turned around and noticed Ace. It began to trott towards Ace, positioning its axe to strike. Ace, however, had his counterattack prepared.

"Gearfried, now!" Ace called to the trees.

Gearfried dropped from a tree and onto the Rabid Horseman's back. Before the Horseman had any chance to respond, Gearfried had plunged the Fusion Sword deep into the body of the Horseman, destroying it. Gearfried landed on his feet.

****

+1000

Ace: 8100

"Hm, this isn't so hard." Ace said as he drew a card from his deck.

"Thank you, young one, for helping the residents of my forest..." An echoing voice said. A blue tiger-shaped aura appeared in front of the Dark Zebra. "I do my best to defend those who live here in my forest..."

"Uhh...?" Ace looked at his help screen, which displayed:

[Soul Tiger: 

Attribute: Earth

Type: Beast

Level: 4

0/2100]

"Soul Tiger? Right...?"

"Yes..." The voice echoed. "But your kindness has awakened my true form..."

The aura began glowing brightly... It moved toward the center of the clearing. The Momonga jumped on Ace's shoulder as they both watched. The tiger-like aura took a solid shape. Before them stood a tiger with plated armor on its body.

"It is I, King Tiger Wanghu, Guardian Spirit of the Sacred Forest..."

---

The sun was beginning to set on the Sacred Forest. Ace was sitting on a log with the Nimble Momonga still resting on his shoulder. He had taken a few minutes to speak with King Tiger Wanghu to have him explain the situation.

"Ace, young one, the Sacred Forest is in a perilous situation. A vicious army of monsters is trying to take away our home. The Rabid Horseman you easily slayed was merely a scout for their troops. The army is being led by a powerful woman whom we've no idea how to defeat. It is impossible to fight these enemies on our own. We had sent a messenger to the Marshes to ask the Beastking of the Swamps for his aid, but in was too late; they had already passed through the area, destroying all that stood in their way. You are our last hope, young one."

Ace breathed deeply. "I'll do my best to protect your home. As long as Ace is here, they won't step foot in this forest!"

"And we shall do our part to defend against them as well. They plan to attack us at midnight, according to a sentry I sent to their camp. Under the cover of night, they wish to invade. We will be prepared, thanks to you. I must warn you, however, young one... They possess a beast that defies the laws of nature. A terrible monster with immense power that has defeated many of my colleagues in far lands. The name of this vile beast is Agrorasaba."

Night fell upon the Sacred Forest. Ace was sitting by a small fire he built in the middle of a clearing. King Tiger Wanghu stood guard at the forest's entrance. Midnight would come soon.

Ace sat by the fire and thought. _"I've gotten this far... I'm here in this Virtual World, yet it seems as if I must fight for my life, and for the lives of these creatures, even though they aren't real at all. Though there is one real purpose... Vance... I hope you can sense me, because I'm coming to rescue you."_ He took a deep breath.

"The fire's nice and warm... Too bad we can't sit here relaxing all night. This place would be great to go to for a vacation... It's a shame this technology isn't used for stuff like that..."

The Nimble Momonga that he had become friends with was sitting on a log across from him. It just sat there staring at him.

"Heh. As if you can understand what I'm saying, little squirrel dude..."

From out of the trees came King Tiger Wanghu. "They approach. Young one, prepare for battle."

Ace turned to Gearfried and Dark Blade, who were both sitting on the same log.

"Let's go guys, time for combat..."

"Yes master." Gearfried picked up the Fusion Sword Murasame, which laid in the fire.

"At your command." Dark Blade said.

They reached the edge of the forest, following King Tiger Wanghu very carefully.

Current Status:

Ace Sotras

Deck Commander: Marauding Captain

Current Lifepoints: 8100

Time Remaining: 22:15

Ace, Wanghu, and various other forest inhabitants, along with Ace's warriors stood at the edge of the forest. They were prepared to hold their ground. The enemies silhouettes appeared in the shadows of distant campfires.

"Be cautious, young one. They are very dangerous. I will be able to destroy many of the weaker ones who come too close, but I cannot handle the more powerful monsters. That is why I asked help of you." King Tiger Wanghu took a position at the frontline.

"You can count on me. Here comes the first wave!" Ace called.

"Look closely, you can see what monsters they sent."

Ace squinted and tried to see what was coming toward them. He could see several Battle Ox, Battle Steer, Panther Warrior, and Hitotsu-me Giants.

"As I said before, I will handle the weaker monsters. Once they step foot on this hallowed ground, their malicious heart will fall to the call of the Wilderness."

"Good, because it looks like there are more Hitotsu-Me Giants than any other monster in this group. I won't have much problem with this first wave, because I have something I can use..."

****

-1150

Ace: 6950

"Goblin Attack Force! And since my ability allows me to summon another Warrior-Type monster, I summon another Goblin Attack Force!"

A horde of nearly two dozen goblins appeared before Ace.

"Okay, form a line, and wait for them to come. Remember, home field advantage is important in war!"

The monsters came closer and closer. They could see faint glimmers of their weapons in the moonlight. The axes of the Battle Ox, the lances of the Battle Steer, and the huge swords held by Panther Warriors. It seemed to take forever for them to attack once they began closing the gap between the two opposing armies. Once they were several yards away, the tension mounted. They could see one another in the moonlight.

"Young one, wait for their first move... It is foolish to rush into a deciding battle."

Ace nodded. The Nimble Momonga on Ace's shoulder squeaked.

With that single sound, war broke out. The opposing monsters rushed towards the forest inhabitants and Ace's forces. Weapons clashed, and cries of pain and suffering filled the air.

King Tiger Wanghu let out a huge roar. "Activate special ability, Call of the Wilderness!" He roared again.

The Hitotsu-Me Giants nearby all fell to the ground and dissolved into the earth. This cleared about three quarters of the attackers.

Ace, equipped with two Murasame swords, joined the fighting himself. His Dark Blade was destroyed by a Panther Warrior, but Gearfried made short work of it. Ace's Goblin Attack Forces broke huge holes in their forces, leaving nothing. The first attack was soon over. The Goblin Attack Forces fell asleep.

Ace: 12250

He was breathing heavily. "Whew... That was... a good stress release. Good job guys." Ace looked over to his Gearfried and Goblins, which were resting from battle.

"This next group doesn't look so easy to contend with..."

"Already?" Ace said. "Well, never know until you try."

The next wave of enemies contained Lava and Swamp Battleguards. They stood strong, as they strengthened each other.

"I've got an idea. You see... in a normal battle the forces that start the battle are meant to weaken the frontlines as well as they can, and they are expendable... But sometimes they are best saved for a later battle, where their help is more crucial. Summon Exiled Force, the Initiate Troops!

****

-500

Ace: 11750

"Now, Exiled Force, go destroy as many of those Battleguards as you can!"

The group of poorly armored soldiers rushed towards the approaching enemies. They could see a huge cloud of smoke in the distance. They heard the battlecry of the Initiate Troops. The dust settled, and they could see a hole that was left within their enemy lines.

"See what I mean?"

"An excellent idea, young one, but we may not be able to overpower the rest of them."

"That's why I use this! Warrior Returning Alive! Watch them come back!"

As quickly as they rushed off, the Exiled Force's soldiers were rushing back to Ace.

"Now go and destroy some more of those Battleguards!"

The soldiers rushed off again. Their battlecry filled the air.... again. They took down many of the remaining troops with them. This time, when the dust settled, they could see two figures standing there.

"Who's there?!" Ace called out as he waited for the smoke to clear.

The two who remained standing were Sengenjin, the Milennium Neanderthal, and a nurse wielding a huge syringe... Angel Injection Lily.

---

"It's a pleasure to see you again, Ace." Dianah sneered. Her green hair replaced Angel Injection Lily's red hair, and she filled out the nurse's uniform quite nicely. Ace was trying not to stare... too much.

"You too, Miss Vanderlaan. I see you have another pet there. Too bad your plant died because you mistreated it... It must've died of loneliness."

"Idiotic, as usual, Ace. You may have wiped out my last forces, but you still have to deal with me, and my friend Sengenjin here." She smiled a wicked smile.

Sengenjin lurched forward. "Me... crush... you." It managed to spit out few words.

"You know Ace, I prepared to face anyone of you here... You just got lucky that your deck would work better in a war-type situation, like this... But I do have a card that can put your monsters out of commission... Activate Warrior Elimination!" Dianah threw the card into the sky.

"What...? No, all my Warrior monsters!"

"While it can't destroy you as a Deck Commander, it rids all of your monsters from the area!"

Ace watched as all his monsters went up in smoke.

"Sengenjin, see if he can get past you... Attack Ace!"

"Ha, with my two Murasame blades, my own attack power is at 2800! Stronger than Sengenjin!"

Ace rushed towards the behemoth and slashed at him with both swords, right across the chest. He grunted and jumped back.

****

-2800

Sengenjin: ????

"You're kidding me... He has his own lifepoints?!?"

"And according to my calculations Ace, you've summoned almost all the monster cards in your deck... Without destroying a monster, you won't be able to draw a card! And thanks to Angel Injection Lily's effect, you won't be able to destroy Sengenjin as long as I keep increasing his lifepoints!"

"You're increasing his lifepoints?!"

"Yes, thanks to this, Body Strengthening Supplement Z! And you won't be able to reach me because Sengenjin stands in your way!"

Ace was eyeing the cards in his hand... "Hmph... Fine. I'll attack him again!"

****

-2800

Sengenjin: ????

"Stop being foolish Ace, it won't work!" Dianah yelled.

Ace kept attacking him.

****

-2800

Sengenjin: ????

Again...

****

-2800

Sengenjin: ????

Again...

****

-2800

Sengenjin: ????

And again...

****

-2800

Sengenjin: ????

"Young one! Stop!" King Tiger Wanghu called to Ace.

Sengenjin just stood there. All the attacks Ace made had no effect whatsoever.

"Young one, come, I have something to tell you."

Ace angrily stomped back to where Wanghu stood. Dianah gave them an odd look. She didn't expect him to listen.

"Ace," Wanghu whispered, "you must calm yourself. Allow the enemy to defeat itself."

__

"How will I do that...? I have to destroy whatever stands between me and my brother!" Ace took a second look at the cards in his hand. _"I've got it!"_

Ace walked towards Sengenjin. Instead of attacking, he sheathed his swords. He began staring Sengenjin in the eye.

"What are you doing Ace?"

"Well Dianah, there's no point in attacking him. You said it yourself. I'm not going to tire myself out."

The Nimble Momonga who befriended Ace earlier jumped onto his shoulder and started staring at Sengenjin as well.

Sengenjin started to look irritated. "Stop... Looking... at ME!" He held his club in both hands. "Giga....CRUSH!!!!"

"No, don't attack him! It's a trap!" Dianah tried to stop Sengenjin.

Sengenjin raised his club to strike, but suddenly, his body burst from within. His limbs flew off and the rest of his body simply disappeared.

"What happened!?"

Ace stood there and smiled. "Just as you said... It was a trap. I activated Sakuretsu Armor. Too bad your barbarian buddy couldn't control his temper..."

"You know what? Neither can I!! Summon Blood Orochis!"

****

-850

Dianah: 7150

A huge tree with vampire fangs appeared in front of her

"Now, summon my Death Dendol thanks to my Blood Orochis! I'll union them."

Little sprouts appeared on the branches and roots of the Blood Orochis.

"Huh? Why summon a weaker monster? I'll destroy both of them!"

Ace unsheathed his swords once again, and lunged at the tree.

"Blood Orochis, defend!"

Ace attacked the bloodthirsty tree, and the little sprouts withered up and died.

"Since Death Dendol was unioned, it is destroyed instead!"

"But... You have done nothing to stop me from attacking Blood Orochis again!"

Ace's second attack cut Blood Orochis in half, but Dianah suffered no lifepoint loss.

"Anything before I attack you directly Dianah? Nope, didn't think so..."

"Actually Ace... maybe you should say hello to an old friend!"

The ground began to rumble. Ace looked around cautiously. Beneath him, the earth started to split, so he retreated back toward the forest creatures.

Ace looked back, and saw that the Momonga resting on his shoulder was now on the ground, trying to get away from the tremors. Right beneath it, the ground split again, and it swallowed the tiny squirrel.

"Nooo!" Ace couldn't stand to lose his little animal friend he had this whole time.

"Hahaha! Now behold my ultimate creature, my pet! Come to the surface, Black Thorned Mantrap, Agrorasaba!"

A huge black plant began to rise from the largest fissure in the earth. Tentacle-like vines emerged from the various holes, and began to swing about. What appeared to be the head opened up to reveal the entrance to its digestive tract. The opening was lined with teeth-like spines.

Ace's eyes widened. "That... thing..."

"Does it look familiar Ace? My pet lives on immortally in the world of Duel Monsters! Hadn't you been so cruel to destroy it, it would still be alive in the real world!"

"Nothing like that has a place in our world. Or should I say my world, since we obviously come from different places, you come from a world where it's okay to have a tyrant rule over your life!"

"You will never understand, Ace. My family is at risk, so I must work for Blackheart."

"Blackheart has had my brother captive for years, and I still haven't stopped fighting, because as long as I still have hope... I won't give in to the Darkness!"

"You're young. You're young, and you're foolish! Now my pet, take away all of the forest animals! Drag them into the ground!"

The mutated plant started using its vines to pull all of the innocent animals into the earth... 

"Stop this now Dianah!"

"Ha! Make me!"

"You, you used to love nature and its beauty. Jeff has corrupted and poisoned you and your mind. You think that something as horrific as Agrorasaba is beautiful, while the petals of a rose now disgust you... It's... sickening."

"Shut up! I don't need to hear this! Agrorasaba, don't stop until they're all gone!" Dianah laughed. "Attack Ace with your vines too!"

Before Ace could respond, a huge vine was wrapped around him. Instead of being pulled into the ground, it was pulling Ace toward its mouth. The vine was squeezing tighter on him.

****

-2900

Ace: 8850

"Ugh... can't... move!" Ace opened his eyes, and in front of him was the plant's digestive tract. It released a black sludgy substance which burned Ace.

"Agggh!" he screamed as if being burned by acid.

****

-2900

Ace: 5950

__

"No... If I can't get out... Vance..." Ace closed his eyes and waited for the end.

---

"Release the young one!" King Tiger Wanghu attacked Dianah from behind.

****

-1700

Dianah: 5450

"Stupid tiger... Activate Deck Commander ability!"

****

-2000

Dianah: 3450

Dianah stabbed King Tiger Wanghu with her syringe, which was now even more ridiculously oversized. She pulled out the needle, and Wanghu was destroyed.

"No..." Ace squinted in pain, but saw what happened. He was starting to lose consciousness. He lost feeling in his limbs and started feeling hopeless.

A glowing light came from one of the cracks in the ground...

"What's this?!" Dianah said.

The Nimble Momonga that had fallen previously flew up out of the ground. It emitted the light.

"I... I am the Guardian Spirit of the Plains..." A thunderous voice came from it. "You fight to invade this Sacred Forest, and here, on the border of this territory, where the forest and plains unite, I will stop you from proceeding!"

"And how do you plan to do that, little squirrel?"

"I was trapped in this body by one of your troops, but now, I have the strength to break free. I saw that someone was willing to give himself in order to save others. That someone is you, Ace. And that is why my true form is released."

The Nimble Momonga's body began changing... Its arms and legs lengthened... a long tail came from its behind, and a majestic mane came from its head. Its true form was that of Super War-Lion.

"I will end this madness here." He said.

"Ha! You're not even strong enough to do anything to my Agrorasaba!"

"I may not be, but once I activate my special ability, I will! Activate Wild Burst!" Super War-Lion roared. "This adds the defensive strength of Beast-Types to their attack power! That brings me to 4400 attack power!"

Super War-Lion slashed at the vines of Agrorasaba, severing them from its body. The vine carrying Ace dropped him to the ground.

****

-1500

Dianah: 1950

"I discard a card from my hand to prevent the destruction of my pet! It won't happen again!"

__

"What the hell is going on here? I didn't program any of this!"

Another voice entered her mind.

****

"Ace must enter the Finals of the tournament... It is the wish of my master... So you must lose! And you all that your punishment would be your soul being a meal for my master! Ha ha..."

__

"I understand Blackheart... I must lose... But I've already defeated myself..."I sided with you, Blackheart!" Dianah had finally seen the mistake she made.

"..." Dianah began looking down at the broken earth.

Ace had just started to recover and get up on his feet. "Had I been able to move earlier, I would've used this card... Which gives me somewhat of a sense of deja vü... Ring of Destruction! Destroy Agrorasaba!"

The ring of grenades wrapped around the plant, and detonated almost immediately.

****

-2900

Dianah: 0000

****

-2900

Ace: 3050

Dianah fell to her knees and started crying.

Ace looked at her and didn't know what to say. "I didn't realize you take losing so badly..."

"You won't understand... I've lost much more..." Dianah's body started to dissolve into sparkles.

Ace was confused. He _didn't_ understand.

"Hmm... Well looks like I'm done here."

Everything went dark, and Ace was back in the loading area again.

****

[Trial III Complete.]

[Result: Win ]

[Time Remaining: 7:29 ]

[LP: 3050]

[Current Status: 1st Place]


	19. Flames of Judgment

Chapter Nineteen: Flames of Judgment

"What?!" Blackheart exclaimed. "You sent Dianah to the Catacombs for her soul to be harvested!? I never made such an order!"

"I'm sorry sir, but you told me to do so not more than half an hour ago." Zander said with a hint of scorn in his voice.

Blackheart looked down at his hands. "What have I done..." he whispered. "She has been a loyal employee to me for so many years... Why would I do such a thing?!"

"I don't know sir, but it's too late now..."

"Let me be alone for awhile. I need to recollect my thoughts."

"Yes sir." Zander stepped out of his office and closed the door behind him.

Jeff took a seat in his chair. "This is not what we agreed to my lord..." He said to himself. "But as we drill deeper and deeper into the ground, and reach ever so closer to the Gate to the Underworld... The more control I lose over my own will."

****

[YOU NEVER HAD A WILL OF YOUR OWN.] 

The voice of Mephisto echoed inside his mind.

"Mephisto, master, although you bestow your gifts of Chaos upon me, we have an agreement. I set you free and provide an offering of souls for you to feast on, and you give me what I want. You give me the world."

****

[SACRIFICES MUST BE MADE.]

"But why...Why must you take the only people I can trust? They are loyal to me...But now, I seemingly wake up not knowing where I've been, and the souls of my Eliminators have been harvested! I suggest you do not take over my mind again, for you are aware of how powerful I am! And at a single command, I can stop the drilling and leave you trapped forever."

****

[YOU MAY BE POWERFUL, CHOSEN ONE OF CHAOS, BUT YOU ARE IN NO POSITION TO THREATEN ME. IF I SEVER OUR CONNECTION, YOU LIFE ENDS. REMEMBER THAT YOUR HUMANITY HAS BEEN REPLACED BY THE BLOOD OF DEMONS. YOUR LIFEBLOOD HAS ALREADY BEEN DRAINED AWAY.]

"All that I request is that you allow me to make my own actions. You need not control my mind, I am perfectly capable of completing my end of the deal."

****

[AS YOU DESIRE. I WILL NOT INTERVENE WITH YOUR HUMAN INTERACTIONS.]

"I'm not human anymore... I've taken the lives of the few people I once loved..." Jeff stood up from his chair. His wings exploded from his back, and his eyes began to glow blood red. "I've become a monster..."

---

Ace casually re-entered the room through the huge iron door, twin swords still in hand. Attention was quickly drawn to him and his impressive performance.

"That was great! You'll definitely be getting into the next stage of the finals!" Laurna said ecstatically.

"I know... I sure am awesome, aren't I?" Ace let out a short laugh.

"That can be argued..." said Nick.

"Hmph," Ace turned to Nick. "Whatever." Ace took a seat next to Laurna and put his arm around her, then shot a smug look towards Nick.

"Hey man, let's try and get along here... We're not in any direct competition with each other... just yet." Tony said as he lounged comfortably in his chair.

"Yeah guys, no need to spite each other, remember why we're here." Laurna said as she tried to play peacekeeper.

Manny was still sleeping in his chair, he was incredibly exhausted... He hadn't been up for awhile. Jason kept brooding over what had happened, sitting in the corner with his head in his hands. As things had finally settled down, Blackheart reappeared.

"You did well Ace. Frankly, I'm quite amazed myself at how well you handled your trial. It's possible that you've secured your place in the next round. But for now, we must continue the trials... Here are the three remaining cards..." Blackheart held them out and shuffled them blindly. Blackheart looked around the room as he selected one of the cards. He turned it to his face and smiled.

"The card I've selected is... Mystical Elf. Laurna, my dear, I believe this is yours."

"Yes, that's correct..." She stepped forward, broomstick in hand, and reinserted the card into her deck.

"Now to choose your trial..." Jeff placed the three cards on the table. "You should wish that lady luck is by your side and you receive a trial that is not too much of a challenge... The last of the trials are crucial; your fate is decided here."

Laurna chose a card and peeked at it... Chill instantly flew down her spine. "I chose the Active Volcano Area... I think I know who created this one..."

"I assume you do... And it must bring back some fond memories..." Jeff let out a sinister laugh. "I'm sure Ryosuke will be happy to see you again... Hahaha..."

"I'll make him pay for what he did..." Laurna said sternly.

"I'm sure you will." Jeff smirked arrogantly and vanished into mist.

Ace got up from his seat and embraced Laurna in his arms.

"Don't worry, they won't bother you. I already told them everything." Laurna whispered.

"Okay. Good luck, though you won't need it." He whispered back and smiled.

"Well, I have to be going now, so see you all when I get back." Laurna turned around and stepped through the big metal door.

"Ryosuke, I'm coming to get you!" Laurna said to herself as the Loading Area went black.

****

[Entering new area.]

[Reinitializing program data.]

[Loading 27% complete.]

[Opening file "ACVOLC.dat."]

[Preparing trial conditions.]

[Loading 100% complete.]

[Please enter.]

As Laurna stepped through the door, she could immediately feel the heat. She was nearly blinded at the sight of the molten lava flowing throughout this area. She saw a huge volcano in the distance. Magma flowed freely from the heart of it. The whole area was seemingly a huge blaze. The ground was composed of hardened magma, which looked extremely unstable. Lava flowed around the rocky paths, threatening all that passed. Laurna was unsure of how she could navigate the area. She decided to fly around on her broomstick, since the rocky paths were way too heated for her to be able to walk upon.

****

[Welcome to the Active Volcano Area. You have 60 minutes to complete your task. You much find the one trying to force the eruption of the volcano and return it to a dormant state. If the volcano erupts and the whole area is destroyed as a result, the trial will end, and you fail.]

"Sounds like fun... No doubt that person is Ryosuke as his Deck Commander..." she said to herself. "Well, no time like the present...better get started."

Laurna floated down the rocky paths on her broomstick, being careful not to get burned by the boiling magma surround the path.

"Damn it's hot..." Laurna pulled at her robe loosely, trying to air it out a bit. She wiped the sweat from her brow and continued on.

"Getting too hot for you Laurna...?" A familiar voice came from behind her.

Laurna turned around as quickly as she could. "Ryosuke!"

"It's a pleasure to see you again Laurna... Too bad I'll be the one taking you out of the finals... I was really looking forward to seeing you duel against one of your friends... As you can see, I've chosen Charubin the Fire Knight as my Deck Commander."

Laurna looked at the armor he wore as it reflected the red glow of the molten lava. "I'm not impressed. And why show yourself so soon? Want to end this quickly so you can get back to your master's feet so you can beg him to scratch you behind the ears?"

"I don't remember you being this smug when I had you tied to a wooden cross, ready to be burned... However, no, I do not wish to end this quickly. I really value the time we get to spend together, Laurna. I'll just leave you with a little present before I go and make the volcano erupt. Summon Flaming Tree Man 18 and Prominence Dragon!"

****

-1675

Ryosuke: 6325

"My ability powers up all my Fire monsters by 500 points... and in this area, they already receive a boost of 500 points! Any monster I summon will automatically gain a power bonus of 1000! However, there is one downside... You gain 200 lifepoints each time I summon a monster... BUT there's one thing... I use the trap card, Bad Reaction to Simochi! It reverses any lifegain to damage."

****

-400

Laurna: 7600

Laurna began hacking and coughing violently, as if she had just breathed in some lethal substance.

"I'll be seeing you Laurna." Ryosuke's voice was slightly muffled as he spoke through his helmet. He placed his mace over his shoulder and ran off, leaving Laurna to deal with his monsters. The burning wooden golem started towards Laurna as the Prominence Dragon stood in the magma from the neck down.

"They each have a boost of 1000 points... Making the Tree Man 2850, and the Prominence Dragon 2500... I power up my earth monsters by 300 and female monsters by 500... "

Just then, it struck Laurna. "Hey, I power up myself! I'll just attack them!"

She raised her arm to the sky and a stone spear formed. She hurled it toward the Flaming Tree Man and the Prominence Dragon, piercing through both and destroying them.

"Ha! Take that!"

****

-2675

Laurna: 4925

The violent coughing afflicted Laurna again,as she began having trouble breathing.

"No... Bad Reaction to Simochi affects the lifegain I receive from destroying monsters here..." Laurna drew two cards from her deck. "Ugh, these won't help me get rid of this problem I have..."

Ryosuke stood on top of a hill, watching Laurna from afar.

****

-450

Ryosuke: 5875

__

"Ha, she's finally realized the trouble she's in.... Without the ability to recover her own lifepoints, she'll succumb to the fires of my existence...the rest of the monsters in this area will leave her right where I want her..."

Ryosuke laughed as he continued towards the volcano.

"Damn, I don't know what to do...If I destroy any monsters around here, I'll take damage instead of gaining lifepoints equal to half their attack power... Unless I can get rid of the effects of his trap card..." Laurna talked to herself as she tried to figure a way out of the predicament. "This must've been Ryosuke's strategy all along..."

---

Zander was sitting alone in his office, checking over the status of the drilling. He was put in charge of maintenance of mechanical equipment, since he knew the most about it. His mind drifted away from his work, and he folded his arms on his desk and lay his head down on them. Zander fell asleep as his computer screen gave off a dull glow.

Suddenly, images flooded Zander's mind... 

__

Images of a great evil emerging from the depths... Images of friends being separated...torn from each other... Images of a dreadful future... The city falling to ruins... Everything that could possibly go wrong... apparently will. Strange symbols... Symbols lining a circular seal... People trapped... Jeff Blackheart standing at this seal... waiting... Waiting for something. Ace...Laurna... Laurna... in silver armor? Ace...and Vance... standing... fighting together. A house. Zander's house... People living there... Zander no longer living alone... What did it mean?

Suddenly an ominous voice entered his mind.

__

"Zander! My soul is to be offered to the Dark Lord of Chaos and Destruction... I shared this vision with you to show you a small glimpse of the future... This is the last time I can communicate to you... My soul grows weary... My body is still there... But it is not me. Blackheart is using me as a pawn... Please Zander, don't let him control you anymore!"

Zander sat up quickly. "Sera..." He put his head back down on the desk and started sobbing.

"Is there something wrong, Zander?" Jeff Blackheart was standing at the half-open door.

"Nothing... Just remembering my parents..."

"Don't say that your parents memory is nothing. I was with you and helped you cope with losing them. I know how hard you took it. It was indeed a horrific time..." Jeff put his hand on Zander's shoulder. "It makes me wonder what my life would have been like if I had known my parents. However, here I am, devoid of almost all emotion whatsoever. I envy you Zander... You have people to miss when they're gone. All I know is anger, hate, prejudice, and pain."

"Boss," Hunter appeared at the door. "we've reached the point below Mephisto City, and we can now access the Mephistophelean Ruins."

"Ah, finally. We'll send out a scout and as soon as we've mapped the immediate area, we'll begin exploring."

"Okay boss, I'll send out the scout right away."

---

__

Back at the volcano...

"The volcano will erupt soon... and my servant will emerge from it's depths and make Laurna feel the heat... The heat that comes from my hatred...The hatred I possess for Laurna and all her damned 'friends.' They must suffer... My pain...will soon be hers."

Ryosuke stood at the edge of the volcano, mace hanging over his shoulder, as he watched the bubbling lava within the volcano's heart.

Laurna was searching for Ryosuke. Knowing the situation she was in, she had to find him and finish the trial as soon as possible. She floated down the winding rocky paths, but encountered no monsters. She was very uneasy, since she felt that she could be ambushed at any moment.

"It's too quiet..." Laurna said to herself. She looked around, seeing nothing but the volcano off in the distance, and more rocky paths. "Maybe Ryosuke has a confrontation in mind as well..."

"Laurna... For once. I'd say you're right." Ryosuke's voice sounded like he was close, but Laurna couldn't spot him. "Maybe this will help you out."

An flaming arrow struck the ground in front of Laurna.

"Hmph. Whoever shot that must have really terrible marksmanship... Even I could do better."

Another flaming arrow struck the ground ahead of the first one.

"Follow them. Unless you _want_ them to hit you." She still couldn't tell where Ryosuke's voice was coming from. "With thirty minutes left, I suggest you do. They will lead you to the volcano. If you want to go on by yourself, I'm sure you'll get lost among these confusing paths..."

Laurna decided to do as she was told. She followed the path marked by the arrows closely, being careful not to get ahead of the steady firing of the arrows. Finally, she reached the foot of the volcano. She could see the archer clearly, Guardian Ceal. The reptilian creature stood on a higher point of the volcano, and used its bow to create the path. As it caught Laurna's glance, the creature slid down the side of the volcano.

"You said you could do better." Guardian Ceal had a very raspy voice. "Show me." It held out its bow to her.

"I don't have time for this!" She got off her broomstick used drove it into the side of Guardian Ceal's face, breaking the stick in two, and destroying the giant lizard.

****

-1350

Laurna: 3575

"Ugh... Not again... It feels like my chest is being crushed..." She breathed problematically.

She began to navigate the volcano carefully as she tried to reach its peak. Laurna was sweating heavily, as she had never felt a heat like this before. She had already shed her witch hat, and torn the sleeves off her robe.

****

-200

Ryosuke: 5675

"Ah Laurna... I see you giving your greatest efforts just to see me... And how beautiful you look in the red glow of the magma..." Ryosuke was watching Laurna climb up the side of the volcano, and trying to look down her robe as well. "Bah, it's no use... I can't see crap through this visor." He raised the visor on his helmet and rubbed his eyes from squinting.

"Go! Harpie Lady SB! Attack him directly!"

****

-2300

Ryosuke: 3375

"Ack... You got up here much faster than I thought. And I see you've decided to finish me off when you had the chance... Cunning little bird, now aren't we? I'm sure Ace has a lot of fun with you... But forget him... You can ignite my fires anytime you'd like..." Ryosuke held out a card. "Now you do realize, if I summoned a monster... It could potentially spell the end for you... But.. I'll give you the chance... Give me all you've got! Right here, RIGHT NOW!"

"Don't test me! I'll do it!" She picked out a card. "I activate Elegant Egotist! I summon another Harpie Lady SB!"

A second Harpie Lady appeared next to her first one and spread her wings, showing her prowess.

"Hah..." Ryosuke laughed.

"What's so funny? About to lose?"

"No. You've done exactly as I wanted you to."

"What?!"

"LAVA GOLEM, ARISE!" Ryosuke called out to the center of the volcano.

Laurna gasped. "No...!"

Instantly, a huge behemoth burst from within the volcano, carrying a huge cage. Laurna watched as her Harpie Ladies were incinerated, and was paralyzed by fear as the monster scooped her up in its iron cage.

"AHHHHHH!!!!" Laurna screamed out in pain.

****

-1000

Laurna: 1675

"Now Laurna... I think it's time we had a little talk..."

"Let me out!!" Laurna screamed as she tried to escape, but the bars wouldn't give.

"Are you trying to threaten me? I can command Lava Golem to burn you at any moment... Either listen to me, or lose."

"Fine.... What do you want?"

"Tell me Laurna... Why do you fight Blackheart?"

"Why? Why should I tell you?!"

"Lava Golem... remind her why."

****

-1000

Laurna: 0675

This time, Laurna tried to hold in her screaming... But could not.

"UUAHHHHHHH!!!!! Fine..." Laurna gasped for breath. "I'll talk."

"I'm listening. Lava Golem, put the cage down."

Lava Golem stood within the volcano, and placed the cage in front of Ryosuke.

"I fight..." She stopped for a moment. "We fight... To do what's right."

"Explain to me... What is wrong, and what is right?"

"What is this? Some kind of test? A trap?"

"Answer the question!"

"Fine. Let me rephrase then... We fight for what we believe is right! Blackheart has hurt so many people already... We want to reduce that number to zero!"

"But you know that will never happen... He's too powerful for you."

"Blackheart is only one man, and he's caused pain to thousands. At least we're doing something."

"No, you aren't. You're fools. ALL OF YOU! You have no idea behind the true purpose of this tournament... No idea at all... A gullible bunch of fools! HAHA!!!"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Forget what I said... Back to my questions... Are you loyal to your friends...?"

"Of course I am. Otherwise I wouldn't be here..." Laurna was getting irritated.

"I wish I could say that too... But I have no friends. I'm the youngest Eliminator here... And I'm not allowed a normal life. Hell, Zane is two years older than me, and he's practically Blackheart's servant! While I, one who gave his life to him... He punishes me for ONE mistake! But I'm still loyal... But Blackheart is far from a friend, but he's the closest I have to one."

"What are you trying to say...?"

"Your friends will punish you one day. They'll punish you for a mistake you will make! And it'll come from the person you least expect it from!"

"You're crazy! My friends would never do that to me!"

"Only time will tell, will it not?"

"I've had enough of this talk, Ryosuke! Maybe you've forgotten this, but Lava Golem is also under _my_ control! Attack Ryosuke with Golem Volcano attack!"

"Impatient little wench... I wasn't done... But now you've lost! I'll use Magic Cylinder!"

"Not quite! Activate trap card, _HELLISH TRAP DOOR GUN_!!!!"

"...crap..." Ryosuke said under his breath.

Lava Golem's flaming breath flowed into Ryosuke's Magic Cylinder and was directed back at Laurna, but then was reflected back to Ryosuke., engulfing him in fire.

"ARRGGHHH!!!!! It burns!!!"

"It's not the fire that's burning you Ryosuke... It's the burning pain you feel in your heart. The pain of being alone. Maybe one day you'll learn the true meaning of friendship." Laurna tried to make her voice sound compassionate, but struggled to do so. She couldn't sound sympathetic to the person who was just torturing her.

****

-4000

Ryosuke: 0000

The flames dissipated, and Lava Golem disappeared, along with the cage. Ryosuke's armor had burned off, leaving him in a red tunic and crimson red slacks.

Laurna took a closer look at him. "What's that on your face?"

Ryosuke was kneeling on one leg, trying to hide his face with one hand. "Don't look at me."

Behind his hand was half of a mask. "A mask? Why...?"

"I told you... Blackheart punished me. He burned off half of my face."

Laurna's eyes widened.

"Need I remind you... You're not done. The volcano will still erupt when the time runs out. And you've got a few minutes left on the clock..." He said coldly.

"What!?"

"The volcano requires a sacrifice. Then it will stop the eruption from happening."

"Sacrifice?" Laurna turned around and looked at the center of the volcano. She heard footsteps approaching.

Ryosuke was running towards it.

"No! Stop!" Laurna felt the pain that was so realistic... Everything in this world was so real. She didn't want him to know what it was like to be inside a volcano. "Not even you deserve this!"

"Yes, I do..." Ryosuke called out as he dived into the boiling magma within the volcano.

Laurna rushed to the edge and peered in. She could see nothing through the orange-red glow.

"His own Heaven must also be his own Hell... I'll let him be."

A door appeared in front of her.

****

[Please enter.]

"That was...unsettling... But I'm glad it's over...." Laurna stepped into the Loading Area.

She sighed deeply. 

"Wait..." Laurna said to herself, remembering how she tore off bits and pieces of her robe, and losing her witch's hat and broomstick. "I don't want them to see me like _this_!"

The missing articles of clothing suddenly just appeared in place of her old tattered ones.

"Hmm... That was convenient." She said nonchalantly. The room went black, as usual.

****

[Trial IV Complete.]

[Result: Win ]

[Time Remaining: 4:35 ]

[LP: 0675]

[Current Status: 2nd Place]


End file.
